Majority Of African Countries Will Take Center Stage In BRICS+ Fashion Summit In Moscow

A majority of African countries will take part in the BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow.

The Summit is set to be the largest event in the fashion world, serving as a platform for the exchange of experience between leading industry players from emerging markets. Africa will be represented by delegations from over 30 countries, including South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Algeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and others. The Summit held in Russia, chairing the BRICS this year, will also welcome delegations from China, India, Indonesia, the UAE, Brazil, Malaysia, and other nations from Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

Stephen Manzini, Founder and CEO of Soweto Fashion Week, emphasizes the importance of the BRICS+ Fashion Summit for the global fashion industry: “The BRICS+ Fashion Summit is very important for emerging economies and the global South as we have never had a united platform of this nature in history. The unification of these markets could potentially bring major trade agreements within the economies and perhaps create vigorous exertion from the current dominant economies to look east and south for trends and inclusion into mainstream markets”, shares Stephen Manzini.

In addition, the South African brand Tshegofatso By Design will present its new collection at Moscow Fashion Week, which will take place alongside the BRICS+ Fashion Summit. The brand will introduce innovative designs and prints, offering a fresh take on traditional African motifs.

The Business Program will cover a wide spectrum of topics, including the role of BRICS+ fashion events in economic development, fashion as a tool for cultural dialogue, decolonisation of fashion, exports to BRICS+ countries and exchange of experience in the fashion industry. In addition, the BRICS+ Fashion Summit will feature prominent lecturers from Russian and international fashion institutions, while designers will showcase their collections at the grand International Exhibition ‘Heritage’, highlighting the rich cultural traditions and the intricate craftsmanship of their work.

The BRICS+ Fashion Summit is one of the most significant events for the fashion industry, serving as a strategic platform for expanding global fashion interactions for emerging countries. The first Summit was held in 2023, where fashion industry leaders from 60 countries agreed to collaborate and support new talents in fashion. Fashion brands and designers in emerging countries face similar challenges, often competing on an uneven playing field with global companies that don’t prioritize investing in local communities. The BRICS+ Fashion Summit participants support diversity in fashion and place special emphasis on local fashion brands that promote the cultural values of their countries and regions.