The African Union Commission is set to host the Africa Fashion Reception at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The event scheduled for 13^th – 15^th September, 2016 will be presenting fashion designers from about 30 African countries. Only 1 top designer has been nominated to represent each of the participating countries by the Executive Board of the Africa Fashion Reception.

Activities lined up during the AFR in Addis Ababa will include an international press conference 13^th, African Fashion Business Summit and Exhibition by participating countries on the 14^th and the gala event on the 15^th September. The gala night will present the collection of all participating countries.

The Africa Fashion Reception (AFR) is a Pan African initiative. This year’s event will gather fashion designers, dignitaries, Ambassadors and media from over 30 African countries, in a celebration of cultural diversity expressed through the artistic fashion discipline with the proud theme ‘Africa is the New Inspiration of Global Fashion’

Goals of the Africa Fashion Reception include:

• To build bridges by creating free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent
• To attract global attention to Africa’s very rich and diversified dress culture which can be explored as a catalyst for the social economic growth of the continent’s garment/textile industry.
• To expand the potential power of fashion as a tool of fighting poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations through training, capacity building schemes, workshops and setting up of medium/small scale businesses thereby supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063
• To bring about self-reliance as this initiative will create millions of jobs across the continent for Tailors, Creative Directors, Textile designers, Models, Cutters, Pressers, Fashion Photographers & Writers, Hair Stylists, Make-up Artists etc
• To contribute in bringing the much desired peace and stability to our continent by positively engaging the youths as stated above.
• And to further develop African economies by creating the biggest and most profitable African fashion and lifestyle trade and investment initiative for global patronage

The Africa Fashion Reception was officially launched in Paris in 2013 with the participation of 16 African countries. The 2nd edition saw participants from 24 countries.

The first African Fashion Business Summit which will be held on the 14^th has the theme ‘Creating Wealth for African Economies through its Fashion, Garment and Textile Industry’.

After the African edition, all participating countries will be presented at the international edition of the AFR in Paris end of October, 2016.

Partners of the Africa Fashion Reception Addis Ababa includes Africa Magic, motherland Beckons, Atunda Entertainment, Femaz Micro Finance Bank, Design Essentials, AIT, Planet TV, Ben TV, Busyminds Entertainment, Ovation International, Amina Magazine, New African Woman, Europa Regina, Goge Africa, African Royal Kingdoms – ARK.

According to Lexy Mojo-Eyes, CEO of Africa Fashion Reception ‘the textile, garment and fashion industry all over the world is reputed to be the highest employer of labor after government. It led to the industrial revolution and infrastructural development in America, Europe and the Asian countries at different times. It can also be a catalyst for Africa’s economic revolution’ he said. ‘With a population of over 1.2 billion people, Africa must learn how to do business with itself before venturing out of the continent. This is why we are beginning from Africa’ He concluded.

Some of the participating designers representing their countries includes Lisete Pote – Angola, Paradise Fashion – Ethiopia, Khosi Nkosi Fashion House – South Africa, Chizo – Zambia, David Alford – Zimbabwe, Hall of Peters – Ghana, Alphao Fashion – Guinea, Botocy Clothing – Botswana,  Fall Prov – Senegal, Inkanda – Rwanda, Les Peches Mignons – Mali, Kaz ’O’ Zah Art – Burundi, Walove by Design – Kenya, Kokonut Stylist – Swaziland, Yaw’s Creation – Gambia, Classic Fashion Namibia, Keto Couture – Nigeria, FKK Fashion – Togo,De La Sebure-Burkina Faso and Kokonut Stylist Swaziland etc.

For details, log on to www.africafashionreception.com