USAID & USTR delegation meet Urban Inc for African trade

03 May '14

2 min read

On April 14, a delegation led by Oren Whyche-Shaw, Principal Advisor to the Assistant Administrator in USAID’s Bureau for Africa, and Florie Liser, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, traveled to Philadelphia, PA to meet with executives of Urban Inc.

Urban Inc. is the parent company of U.S. brand Anthropologie, which recently rolled out its East Africa Legend and Song collection both on-line and in 4 key retail outlets (New York City; Los Angeles, CA; Wayne, Pennsylvania (flagship store); and Aventura, Florida).

The Trade Hub was instrumental in supporting the market-linkage and capacity building of East African designers and manufacturers that led to the Legend and Song collection.

The full day program, attended by Trade Hub AGOA advisor Finn Holm-Olsen and consultant Llenay Ferretti, included a wide-ranging discussion focused on opportunities under AGOA, support given through USAID and the Trade Hub, key lessons learned, emerging business opportunities in East Africa, and potential support activities the Trade Africa could provide to develop similar trade opportunities in the future.

The Anthropologie executives reported their thanks for the role that USAID through its East Africa Trade Hub played in supporting a commercial program and venture in Africa which it termed “inspiring.” It is estimated that the total retail value of Anthropologie’s collection, all apparel and fashion accessories exports by EATH-supported firms in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, is in excess of $1 million.

USAID East Africa Trade Hub

More United States Agency for International Development (USAID) News... More Fashion News - United States Of America...