Fashion brand Awa’Tori continues to prove to be one of the fast-rising platforms for African designers seeking to make it in Japan. Owned by Nigeria’s Bukky Adejobi and Cameroonian-Japanese Seiko Mbako, the two entrepreneurs are leading the charge in building a bridge between the Asian and Africa fashion worlds.
To push their message even further they announced the launch of a new collective Fashion & Culture Exchange Africa-Japan’ (FACE.A-J) which will showcase African designers at the Rakuten Fashion Week in Tokyo and Japanese designers at Lagos Fashion Week.
Awo’Tori founders say that the collective will serve as an exchange program that will build the gap between the two fashion industries.
This cross-cultural exchange and exhibition will be the first of its kind. FACE.A-J, supported by United Arrows, Rakuten, Tokyo Fashion Week and the Ethical Fashion Initiative, aims to promote culture and creativity from Africa and Japan. Using Fashion, Art, and Culture to transcend politics, social conflicts and inequalities, FACE.A-J aims to create a platform that presents alternative views of Africa and Japan, bridges the gap between both creative markets, and fosters economic and cultural development.
Designers that will partake in the inaugural edition this year includes for Africa; Thebe Magugu (South Africa) the most
recent LVMH Prize winner, Kenneth Ize (Nigeria) and Anyango Mpinga (Kenya) who will get to show at Rakuten Fashion Week. While Japanese designers to showcase in Lagos Fashion Week under the collective includes COYOTE, Wataru Tominaga and Sulvam.
Photo credit: Awa’Tori
