About Swahili Fashion Week
Swahili Fashion Week is the largest and most influential annual fashion event in Africa, offering an exceptional platform for fashion and accessory designers from Swahili-speaking countries and beyond. It provides a space to showcase talent, market creativity, and connect with clients and the international fashion industry.
The event emphasizes the importance of fashion as a dynamic, income-generating creative industry while promoting the “Made in Africa” concept and celebrating African identity.
Founded in 2008 by renowned Pan-African couturier Mustafa Hassanali, Swahili Fashion Week has grown into a highly anticipated event on the continental calendar. The 17th edition took place in Dar es Salaam from December 6–8, 2024, continuing its mission to drive innovation, foster collaborations, and shine a global spotlight on East African design excellence
The Swahili Fashion Week logo is a mirror image of the African continent, designed to graphically resemble the kipepeo — the Swahili word for a vibrant, colorful butterfly.
The Swahili Fashion Week logo is a mirror image of the African continent, designed to graphically resemble the kipepeo — the Swahili word for a vibrant, colorful butterfly.
Swahili Fashion Week aspires to be the most sought-after and preferred African fashion platform for the international market.
Fashion Week aims to;
- Promote Eastern African fashion brands.
- Improve the quality and output of fashion design from East Africa
- Provide a platform for up and coming young designers in the region
- Create opportunities for East African products in African Diaspora markets