Many Africans know their international designers by heart and can mention at least 10 of them if woken up at 3am .We all know and love our international fashion and beauty brands. But do we know ‘Made in Africa’ brands of clothing,jewellery, shoes and beauty? The fashion industry in Africa has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years but the only way it will grow even more, is if we support our own. That’s exactly what the following bloggers are doing.They wear African fashion brands on their blogs and in their daily lives, lending credence to these brands and promoting their growth. I’m not talking about bloggers who wore an African designer in one post 3 years ago and only because they were sponsored by the brand.I’m talking about bloggers who buy local, who attend fashion shows and who believe in African designs in their heart of hearts. In no particular order, here they are:
1.Thithi Nteta
Blog : Tee Tee is With Me
This South African beauty’s well thought out posts are captivating to say the least. She frequently wears South African labels and says the following in one of her blog posts:
“…Nothing makes me happier than when I post a picture of something created in South Africa and someone from Amsterdam, Singapore etc. comments “I want!” or asks me “Where is that from?” I literally get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, because local is lovely…”
2.Franklin Saiyalel
He is the leading male blogger in Kenya and his posts are for the most part about menswear and lifestyle. His is like a style bible for the gent on a quest to look classy and well put together. In his posts you will find him looking stylish,clad in his favorite Kenyan designer, from clothes to shoes and accessories.
3.Lamic Kirabo
Blog: Third Local
Lamic’s blog is a thing of beauty. The Ugandan blogger has been in the game for only one year but is making waves already. She actively supports local designers,wearing them on her blog and collaborating with them to create editorial campaigns. If you need a pick-me-up, her blog is it.
4.Afua Rida
Blog: Styled by Rida
She hails from Ghana and wears local designers enthusiastically. She has the following to say about African fashion:
”…Africa really inspires fashion globally. We are popular for our bold colours, wild life, blue waters, tribal prints, bold patterns; zig zags, and irregular shapes and the colour black that is Africa in a nutshell. Our fashion industry is growing rapidly and serves as inspiration to the global fashion landscape albeit unintentional…”
5.Winnie Awino aka Me
I wouldn’t write this post if I didn’t believe in the potential of fashion and design in Africa. I run my own blog : Winnie The Fashionista
I recently started a series of posts to push the ‘Made in Kenya’ agenda. I believe that Kenya is ripe for growth. We may have teething problems but the fashion industry has come a long way. I believe that the bridge between designers and consumers can be bridged by bloggers. Consumers get to see designer pieces on a real-life everyday person, that is, the blogger, which makes it more relatable. This relatability can drive sales and growth in the fashion industry.
6. Dodos Uvieghara
Blog: I am Dodos
This Naija Belle believes in #BuyNaijaAndSavetheNaira . Her colourful, funky style can be seen in the pieces that she wears, which she likes to source locally.
These bloggers may wear shoes from international brands and some accessories here and there but that doesn’t mean they are flailing in their support for African brands.
Comment below if you know other African fashion bloggers who avidly wear African fashion brands and we will add them to the list.
