Two Nigerian design houses will represent the country at Africa Fashion Week London 2025, taking place from August 9 to 10 at Space House in London.
Henri Uduku and Black Fine and Fly will join the event under the British Council’s platform, standing alongside eight other designers from Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana and Zimbabwe. The showcase will include a dedicated British Council catwalk presentation and an exhibition pavilion highlighting some of Africa’s most innovative early-stage designers.
The initiative will give the designers international exposure, opportunities for collaboration, and access to new markets. All participants are alumni or current members of the Creative DNA fashion accelerator programme, which is part of the British Council’s creative economy portfolio in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2020, the programme has supported over 200 fashion entrepreneurs across Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Malawi through mentorship, business development and showcasing opportunities.
Henri Uduku, founder and creative director of his menswear label, has previously showcased his work at major continental platforms such as the Creative Africa Nexus in Cairo and the Creative Economy Week in Harare. Black Fine and Fly, a recent participant in the Creative DNA programme, is an Afro-European collective known for denim designs inspired by African heritage and culture.
Beyond the runway and exhibition, the designers will take part in business clinics, panel discussions with UK fashion experts, and tours of London’s retail and manufacturing ecosystem. These activities will provide insights into ethical production, global fashion standards and the dynamics of the international retail market. The cultural exchange will also give participants a closer look at supplier networks, sustainability practices and retail partnerships in the UK.
This year’s British Council Pavilion will explore the future of fashion, showcasing work that merges design with technology. It will feature African designers and fashion weeks collaborating with AI labs and robotics engineers to create tech-enabled storytelling, virtual reality runways and digital avatars for cross-continental fashion presentations.
Donna McGowan, Country Director of British Council Nigeria, noted that Nigeria’s creative industry contributes over 7 billion dollars to the economy, with fashion playing a major role in its global influence. She described Africa Fashion Week London as a platform that helps emerging designers build networks, attract buyers and gain market insight to scale sustainably.
Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, founder of Africa Fashion Week London, said the partnership with the British Council is a significant step in elevating African fashion on the global stage and in strengthening cross-cultural connections.
Visitors to Africa Fashion Week London 2025 can explore the British Council Pavilion and attend the Creative DNA catwalk show on Saturday, August 9, at 4:00 PM.
9
previous post