Local fashion brands across Africa are finding their stride as consumer interest shifts towards homegrown style, with entrepreneurs racing to capture a slice of the continent’s US$73.59 billion apparel market.
Second Eye Africa
“FREE GLOBAL SHIPPING” blares across the homepage of Ananse Africa in unmistakable capital letters. Just beneath, three models stride confidently down a stone-lined street — one clad in deep navy silk, another in flowing white adorned with hand-painted designs, and the third in a golden outfit that commands attention.
Further down, English and French taglines vie for attention — “NOS PRODUITS PRÉFÉRÉS” shares space with “Create an account to shop from fashion designers and artisans across Africa.” Even the bilingual layout exudes runway appeal, tailored for both Francophone and Anglophone fashion lovers.
Ananse, named after the legendary spider in West African folklore known for weaving connections, is one of several rising digital platforms transforming how African fashion reaches the public.
UNESCO’s observations show that lesser-known African fashion labels are gaining traction, as more consumers opt to support local over international brands or imported second-hand clothing.
Digital tools, advocates say, have removed geographic limits for African designers, helping them break beyond domestic borders and access regional and even global clientele without relocating.
Initiatives such as Proudly South African continue to champion local industries, pointing to job creation and cultural preservation as key benefits. Happy Ngidi, the group’s chief marketing officer, notes that buying African-made helps strengthen both the economy and identity.
Similar movements are gaining ground continent-wide, from Lagos runways to Ghana’s fashion expos and textile revival campaigns.
Statista data projects the African apparel market will generate US$73.59 billion in revenue by 2025, with annual growth expected at 4.77% through to 2029.
Women’s wear continues to dominate, accounting for US$30.99 billion of 2025’s total, as designers like Kenya’s Vivo Fashion and Nigeria’s Lisa Folawiyo reinterpret African prints through a modern lens.
Although annual spending per person is still modest—around US$54.77—consumer habits point to a larger shift underway.
By 2025, the average African is forecast to buy 9.3 garments per year, pushing total clothing volume to 13.6 billion pieces by 2029.
Importantly, 98% of sales will come from the non-luxury segment—precisely the space in which local labels thrive by offering value and authenticity.
In Nigeria, demand for traditional fabrics like adire and aso-oke is surging, with tailors often booked out months in advance.
Designer Amaka Osakwe of the Lagos-based label Maki Oh is among those pushing boundaries. Her bold interpretations of Yoruba aesthetics have graced runways in both Paris and New York, winning her acclaim for her distinctive takes on femininity and form.
“That’s where I find beauty,” Osakwe told The New Yorker in an earlier interview.
In a similar trajectory, Kenya’s Wandia Gichuru has led Vivo to open 29 outlets across East Africa, with all garments produced locally. The brand has even expanded abroad, opening a store in Atlanta.
South Africa’s Afronala positions itself as the ultimate one-stop destination for discovering and promoting domestic fashion brands.
“We believe in the strength of local business and the uniqueness they bring. Our platform provides visibility and growth opportunities for emerging designers,” the site declares.
African designers are also experimenting with innovative customer engagement. Ghana’s Selina Beb, for example, designs personalised kente cloth using chatbot tools, while Rwanda’s KnitAfrika fulfills orders via SMS.
Social media is also playing a key role. Tailors now showcase their collections to local and global audiences via Instagram and WhatsApp, while mobile money and improved shipping logistics simplify transactions across borders.
Platforms like Ananse offer multilingual interfaces and integrated delivery, allowing craftspeople in Dakar to sell wax-printed dresses to customers in Durban, or cooperatives in Kigali to dispatch handwoven baskets to Paris.
Mobile devices power much of this shift—Africa boasts the highest global share of web traffic coming from smartphones, at 69%—prompting brands to design with mobile-first customers in mind.
Efforts to upskill fashion entrepreneurs are gaining ground too. Ecobank has led e-commerce training initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Kenya, while the Mastercard Foundation has partnered with Ananse to support African talent.
Meanwhile, regional payment systems such as PAPSS are making it easier to transact across the continent in local currencies, boosting cross-border trade.
Hyper-personalisation is also taking hold, allowing fashion businesses to tailor offerings to individual tastes and deepen customer loyalty.
That said, the second-hand market remains robust. From Mtumba in Kenya and Okrika in Nigeria to Madunusa in South Africa, pre-loved clothing is still a mainstay.
However, a new hybrid trend is emerging, where traditional African embellishments are being applied to thrifted garments—blending the old with the local.
According to a 2023 Afrobarometer poll, nearly half of Africans between 18 and 35 now express a preference for clothing made on the continent.
Governments are backing the shift. Rwanda and Uganda have already banned imports of second-hand clothes, and Ghana is considering a similar policy. The African Continental Free Trade Area is also working to eliminate tariffs that stifle intra-African trade.
This could allow fashion startups like Tanzania’s Kikuu to ship Kenyan khangas to Zambia at lower costs—signalling a future where Africa’s garment industry not only sustains itself, but goes global.
