Giants of Africa presented its inaugural Threads of Africa Fashion Show on Thursday evening at Zaria Court Rwanda, marking a significant milestone for the continent’s creative industry.
Curated by Ramatu Ujiri, the event was a celebration of African fashion, culture, and design, highlighting the diversity and beauty of the continent’s rich heritage.
The theme for the evening, “A Borderless Africa,” aligned with this year’s festival focus on unity and collaboration across African nations. Ujiri, who serves as the Creative Advisor for Giants of Africa, emphasized the role of fashion in reflecting cultural backgrounds. “Fashion has the unique ability to illustrate cultural backgrounds, which cannot be more beautifully exemplified than in African heritage,” she said. “We are so proud to have been able to showcase just a few giants of African fashion today.”
For Ujiri, the evening was especially personal as she graced the runway for the first time in 17 years, a moment that added an emotional layer to the show.
The event was hosted by Rwandan entrepreneur Sonia Iraguha, popularly known as Lady Bicu, and spotlighted three prominent African designers. Each of these designers brought a fresh perspective to the fashion world with unique collections that told stories from their respective cultures.
ALSO READ:
The show opened with Afropian, a collection by Cameroon’s Hortense Mbea. Inspired by a vision of unity between humanity and nature, Mbea’s designs celebrated the strength and beauty of both women and men. The collection sought to create a dialogue between modernity and nature, blending elements of the past with a vision for the future.
Next, Niger’s Alia Baré presented her collection titled West Side Story, which made its debut at the Giants of Africa Festival. Baré’s designs were a tribute to the resilience and adaptability of West African communities, showcasing the vibrant spirit and strength of the people from the region. The bold, intricate pieces told stories of survival, resistance, and the importance of cultural preservation in a rapidly changing world.
Rwanda and South Africa’s Nyambo Masamara closed the show with his collection, which explored themes of journey and movement. His designs embodied the festival’s overarching theme of crossing borders, both literal and metaphorical. Masamara’s work was a celebration of a continent without boundaries, illustrating how African culture transcends borders, inspiring unity and collaboration among nations.
The show was further enhanced by stunning performances from Rwandan talents Alyn Sano and Nel Ngabo, who set the tone with their powerful music. In a surprise twist, Nigerian superstar Tekno made a special appearance, closing the evening with an unforgettable performance that had the crowd on their feet.
The Threads of Africa Fashion Show was not just an event, it was a cultural milestone that brought together creatives from across the continent, showcasing the vibrant tapestry of African design and fashion to the world. With models selected by Franco Kabano, founder and chairman of Webest Models, the evening’s atmosphere was electric, as each piece and performance told a compelling story of Africa’s past, present, and future.
