Lagos Design & Fashion Week Highlights Female Entrepreneurs on the Continent

Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) wrapped up on October 30, after three days of showcasing African clothing and culture. Aimed at propelling the continent’s fashion industry, LFDW displayed new luxury collections from African designers, giving artists across the continent an international platform to exhibit their work. Women dominated the runways, constituting 61 percent of showcased designers. The increasing number of female designers parallels a trend of women’s rising participation in the African clothing industry, revealing a new outlet for female entrepreneurship in the country. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the “textile-clothing industry is the second largest employer after agriculture in the developing world.” Despite making up only 1.9 percent of global trade, Sub-Saharan Africa’s industry is valued at over 31 billion dollars and is projected to generate more than 15.5 million dollars over the next five years. Women in Africa dominate every aspect of the field, including textile creation, designing and sewing, and selling. In Côte D’Ivoire alone, women own 80 percent of businesses in the industry. Female engagement in the field has expanded in recent years, as textile industries across the continent have enjoyed investment from multinational companies, such as H&M’s new factories in Ethiopia.

Designers expressed excitement over the rising number of women in the field, citing female empowerment as inspiration for their pieces. Amaka Osakwe, the creator of the internationally-renowned brand Maki Oh, spoke on the intersections of gender and fashion, stating, “Every Maki Oh collection has been inspired by women, from street-workers to nuns hence expressing feminist views in different doses.” This sentiment was echoed by designer Kanyinsola Onalaja, whose brand is inspired by women who are “strong representation[s] of freedom, change, and modernity.”

The AfDB has taken great interest in expanding the industry, citing its potential employment opportunities for women and youth. In May 2015, AfDB Special Envoy on Gender, Geraldine Fraser-Molekat, announced the development of a new initiative called Fashionomics. An online marketplace platform, Fashionomics enables and supports fashion and agriculture businesses through networking, sharing of information, and investment. At a high-level panel during LFDW, Fraser-Molekat launched the Fashionomics website, claiming, “Fashion is not only about design or inspiration. It's also a multi-billion dollar industry that creates millions of jobs.” LFDW Founder and Executive Director Omoyemi Akerele supported the initiative, and stressed the important role of regionally-based fashion shows in developing Africa’s industries. Focusing on LFDW, Akerele stated, “The underlying vision [for LFDW] … [is]… to [create] various platforms that allow knowledge acquisition, skills development, access to market and showcasing talents to a networked global audience.”

Growth of the industry does not come without challenges. Africa has the lowest e-commerce rate in the world. Thus, establishing a fashion business on the continent incurs expensive electricity and labor costs, leading to high and inaccessible prices of goods. In addition, the fashion industry is capital-intensive – a requirement that led to the downfall of the textile industry in many countries, including Nigeria. Despite these setbacks, a pan-African interest in investing in the sector, coupled with an increasing African middle-class, shows potential for sustainable growth in an industry that employs and empowers African women.