African designers take center stage at Tranoï Tokyo through CANEX initiative

The vibrant spirit of African fashion took centre stage at the inaugural Tranoï Tokyo trade show on September 4-5, where 10 exceptional fashion brands from across Africa and the diaspora showcased their designs as part of Afreximbank’s CANEX Presents Africa initiative.

Among the African brands that featured at Tranoï Tokyo are Vanhu Vamwe, a legacy brand from Zimbabwe that has created an ethical framework of luxury handcrafted heirlooms that articulate a strong brand aesthetic based on traditional crafts and modern innovation; The Cloth fashion brand founded in 1986 in Trinidad and Tobago by Creative Director Robert Young; and Shekudo from Nigeria, founded as a women’s clothing brand drawing on heritage, life experiences and a wearable art aesthetic, but relaunched in 2017 into footwear and accessories with bases across the Indian Ocean and production in Lagos, Nigeria.

Others are Dina Shaker of Egypt whose design philosophy is centred around elevating personal style; Adele Dejak, a luxury African fashion jewellery brand based in Nairobi and known for contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship; Katush, also from Kenya, whose brand journey began with the need to investigate how people perceive each other and themselves within history and culture, and how those perceptions translate to the modern day; and ANISSA AIDA, launched by Anissa Meddeb in 2016, featuring a mixing and matching of inspirations from the rich heritage and traditional craftsmanship of both her Tunisian roots and her fascination for Japan.

Also showcasing their creations are Judy Sanderson, a Portugal based women’s ready-to-wear brand founded by South African designer Judy Sanderson; Fozia Endrias, an ethical casual wear brand based in Addis Ababa; and Emmy Kasbit, a Nigerian sustainable fashion brand founded in 2014 by Creative Director Emmanuel Okoro and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Olurin.

Commenting on the event, Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, said that Afreximbank’s participation at Tranoï Tokyo through CANEX reflected the Bank’s broad strategy to promote African talent on the global stage and to drive the development of African creatives.

“We are using CANEX at Tranoï Tokyo to position Afreximbank as a leader in supporting Africa’s creative industries by facilitating linkages between designers and industry stakeholders, including buyers, investors, manufacturers and the press, providing them with opportunities to access new markets to increase trade and facilitating the integration of the African fashion industry into the global value chain,” said Awani.

Emphasising Afreximbank’s commitment to supporting Africa’s creative economy, Awani urged African and international designers, buyers and media to attend the CANEX WKND 2024 scheduled to take place in Algiers from 16 to19 October, saying that it would provide a unique platform for facilitating business, investment, collaboration, partnerships and inspiration amongst creatives.

CANEX Presents Africa provides emerging fashion designers with a platform for development through the transfer of skills, linkages and partnerships as well as market access opportunities aimed at equipping the participants with skills for creating financially sustainable businesses capable of being scaled.

The inaugural CANEX Presents Africa event took place in Porto, Portugal in October 2021 and featured 20 African designers. To date, 80 designers from 27 African countries and the Diaspora have benefited from the initiative.

The Tranoï Tokyo show successfully attracted a total of 3,499 visitors in just two days, bringing together influential buyers from Japan and an international audience from Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. With 170 avant-garde brands and designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 25 collections and affirming a resolutely committed positioning.