African fashion moves to centre stage at Paris’ Galeries Lafayette with “Africa Now” showcase
African fashion takes centre stage at Paris’ Galeries Lafayette as the department store hosts the second edition of its “Africa Now” pop-up, positioning designers from across the continent not as inspiration for European labels but as standalone players in the global industry.
The event, running from mid-June to early July at the flagship Haussmann store, brings together a curated selection of brands supported by initiatives including CANEX, Tranoï and Africa Fashion Up x Studio KA. The space on the third floor of the Coupole building has been turned into a temporary showcase of ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery and leather goods from emerging and established African designers.
Organisers say the project is part of a broader effort to give African fashion direct access to international buyers and retail audiences in Paris, one of the industry’s key hubs. It follows an initial edition launched in 2024, which first placed young African brands inside Galeries Lafayette, a move widely seen as symbolic for visibility in the global fashion market.
Among the figures behind the initiative is Senegalese designer Adama N’Diaye, founder of Adama Paris and Dakar Fashion Week, who has long pushed to frame African fashion as a global industry in its own right. Her label is again part of the showcase this year, alongside designers supported through CANEX x Tranoï and Africa Fashion Up programmes.
This year’s selection includes brands such as Morocco’s Late For Work, Kenya-based We Are NBO, Zimbabwe’s Vanhu Vamwe and South Africa’s Judy Sanderson, alongside others presented through Adama Paris and Studio KA. Many of them combine contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship, often drawing on local materials and techniques adapted for international markets.
CANEX, an initiative of Afreximbank focused on creative industries, has been working with Tranoï trade fair organisers for several seasons to bring African designers into Paris Fashion Week circuits. The “Africa Now” pop-up extends that effort into a retail setting, where collections are displayed directly to consumers rather than only industry buyers.
Speaking about the broader vision behind Africa Fashion Up, programme founder Valérie Ka said the presence of African designers in major Paris retail spaces marked a shift in how luxury and global fashion narratives are being written, increasingly with African participation rather than outside interpretation.
The 2026 edition expands its offering across multiple categories, reflecting a growing diversification of African fashion labels into accessories and leather goods as well as clothing. Organisers say the focus remains on combining craftsmanship, cultural identity and commercial viability.
The initiative runs alongside other exhibitions in Paris, including the “Africa Fashion” show at the Musée du Quai Branly, underscoring a wider institutional interest in contemporary African design within the French capital.