From January 9 to 14, 2024, the Hub of Africa Style Week (HAFW) was held within the picturesque setting of Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian capital, situated some 8,000 ft above sea stage, enchanted guests with its evocative ambiance, uniting previous and current at a singular cultural crossroads. The vitality of town, based within the late nineteenth century, is washed in crystalline mild and paired with a vibrant ambiance that provides as much as an unforgettable expertise for guests.

HAFW, based by Mahlet Teklemariam and her brother Natanem Teklemariam, celebrated its 14th anniversary this 12 months, and has developed into a rare platform able to illuminating the rising expertise of African designers world wide. It has change into not only a vogue runway, however a cultural crossroads the place expertise, dedication, and success converge. The passionate management of the Teklemariam siblings, supported by influential figures akin to Waridi Schrobsdorff, the founding father of Style Africa 254, has remodeled HAFW into an occasion that celebrates not solely African creativity, but additionally makes use of vogue to create new connections and alternatives. Listed here are the ten designers it is advisable to learn about:

Mastewal Alemu
Mastewal Alemu brings along with her a singular wealth of information, coming from a background as a vogue design lecturer. Throughout her educational journey, she delved into research of conventional Ethiopian cotton, which she then positioned on the heart of her eclectic assortment. The model, pushed by her ardour for textiles, is distinguished by native manufacturing, specializing in sustainability and embracing a zero-waste design strategy. Alemu’s philosophy consists of the accountable use of assets, and a give attention to moral manufacturing. Her abiding curiosity in textiles was additionally evident in her alternative of a chiaroscuro palette supposed to mirror life’s experiences and its nuances, offering knowledge and expertise that’s seen in each garment in her assortment.

Tibebu Assortment
The title Tibebu, which implies knowledge in Amharic, embodies the very essence of the model. From a younger age, Bezawit Tibebu dreamed of turning into a designer, and her model focuses on modernizing conventional Ethiopian textiles with a couture and modern twist. The pastel coloration palette, enhanced by conventional hand-woven materials, gave a singular and refined contact to Tibebu’s creations.

Natanem Couture
Natanem Wondwossen creates elegant items with a give attention to craftsmanship and individuality. Wondwossen focuses on an progressive use of textiles, impressed by the fantastic thing about conventional Ethopian textiles to proceed to maintain their custom alive. 

Afthoro
Afthoro designer Haimanot Geremew offered a set impressed by lavishly baroque and delightful conventional Ethiopian marriage ceremony clothes. The clothes marry Ethiopia’s wealthy cultural heritage with a contemporary imaginative and prescient.

Afropian
Hortense Mbea, the designer behind Afropian is initially from Cameroon. She initially established the label as an equipment model but it surely was since developed to incorporate ready-to-wear, which merges Ethiopian craftsmanship with Cameroon’s dynamic aptitude. Its motto, Put on Africa with Satisfaction, displays the model’s dedication to selling cultural delight by means of elegant and significant clothes.

Zemenay
Amid the colourful mixture of manufacturers that graced the runway, Betselot Zewge’s stood out. Ethiopia’s first plus-size model made an influence with its colourful minimalism fitted to girls of all sizes and shapes.

Metii Upcycled Assortment
The Metii Upcycled Assortment by Metii Gaye, was constructed from upcycled denim and cotton. Every garment is an envoy for sustainability and displays a dedication to an eco-conscious strategy that redefines trade requirements.

Dann
Danawit Alema’s Dann is a model that mixes innovation and creativity, and stands out for its capacity to transcend the idea of streetwear to position upcycling on the heart of its id. The progressive assortment embraced youth empowerment and using zero-waste strategies and pure dyes.