AMAKA has partnered with Portugal Fashion to bring you exclusive content from the best of African fashion design SS/22 collections. Set to take place from the 12th to the 16th of October, Portugal Fashion Week will be hosting yet another massive event with talented tastemakers. Reporting live from the scenes, our junior staff writer, Yaa Addae, will be sharing daily content of live snippets, street style, hot off-the-runway designs and close-ups with A-listers.

In a three-part written series, we’ll then top it all off with exclusive content from Africa’s finest designers — letting you in on the inspiration and innovation behind each collection.

Here’s who you can expect to see and hear from:

RICH MNISI

South African based designer Rich Mnisi’s namesake label is the epitome of high-end contemporary couture. Founded in 2015, Mnisi’s men’s and womenswear collections tell a story and embody the art of expression. The designer scooped the Essence Emerging Designer of the Year award at the Best in Black Fashion Awards in 2019, and was listed on Forbes 30 under 30 in the same year.

MAFI MAFI

Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this sustainable and versatile ready-to-wear brand was founded in 2011 by Mahlet Afework. Working with local skilled female weavers, Afework aims to disrupt unsustainable and exploitative clothing industries.

ADELE DEJAK

The Kenyan-based designer’s jewellery is a work of art; from uniquely crafted earrings and rings to necklaces and bags, the range boasts statement pieces that can’t be found anywhere else. Passionate about sustainably sourced and handmade products, the brand uses recycled materials and upcycles them to make their designs.

As part of Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) initiative, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Portugal’s National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) have come together to support Africa’s Fashion Apparel and Textile Manufacturing Industry through Portugal and across Europe. Portugal Fashion is one of ANJE’s projects, and it is through this event that it aims to provide African designers with showcasing platforms, facilitate their access to international markets and strengthen their capacities through business mentoring and technical assistance in apparel production together with its strategic partners.

Get ready for front row access to African couture and style inspiration inside one of Portugal’s leading fashion events.