Banks Back ARISE Fashion Week Designers with 300 Million Naira

Zenith Bank, Access Bank, GTBank, others offer funding to 30 winning designers in Africa’s biggest fashion week

ARISE Fashion Week 2018 returns the fashion focus back to creating global fashion brands out of Africa and the diaspora with the launch of ARISE Fashion Management and Mentoring Programme ( AFMMP). This is coming ahead of the official opening of the 2018 ARISE Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria over this Easter at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.

Determined to grow global champions out of African designers, the AFMMP initiative is curating indigenous brands that can compete with the best in the world and stand firm on the international stage, starting with the AFMMP Bootcamp from Tuesday 27th March, 2018. At the Bootcamp, designers participating in the ARISE Fashion Week 2018 will have access to a faculty of experts, who will engage the selected designers on Fashion Business and Financial Management, The Business of Luxury, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Planning, Merchandizing, Retail and Export Strategies, Social Media Strategies, Image and Reputation Management, Brand Acceleration, and most importantly, 10 Steps to Becoming World Class.

The highlight of the AFMMP Bootcamp will be a Bankable Business Plan Competition amongst the designers from which 30 winning pitches will be selected. Each winning designer will be awarded 10 Million Naira Funding specifically targeted to enhance the designer’s infrastructure, supply chain, retail and export plans. This funding will come with strings attached – a banking partner, (Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and others ), a Brand Accelerator, and a Global Mentor drawn from leading design luminaries from around the world – who will donate their time and expertise to taking Africa’s fashion brands global. Meanwhile, arrangements are being concluded with leading consultants and business schools to ensure sustainability with quarterly classes.
AFMMP Program Coordinator, Orode Imevbore said: “ARISE has always been globally focused. Twelve years ago through Music and Fashion, ARISE Media told the story of Africa Rising around the world, leading to the current resurgence of Music and Fashion. Today, after a black US President, and a new Black Panther moment, the time for Africa is now. The AFMMP Initiative will ensure we have the bricks and mortar to compete in the emerging new world. And everyone is welcome to play their part. America is driving technology, Europe controls global luxury, the sun is rising in China and Asia. If not now, when will it be for Africa? Today we take baby steps with fashion and the creative industries. Exciting hardly captures the emotions, as we are talking about empowering 30 talented designers with life changing support beyond capital, and making the African fashion design truly world class. The ARISE Fashion Management and Mentoring Programme is a first step. Jointly, together we will rise and conquer”.

ARISE FASHION WEEK 2018 will take place at The Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos from March 30 – April 02, 2018.

FINAL DESIGNERS LIST

Abaya Lagos / Nigeria

About That Curvy Life / Nigeria

Amine Bendriouich / Morocco

Andrea Iyamah / Nigeria

Aurora James / Canada

Banke Kuku / Nigeria

Bridget Awosika / Nigeria

Bukola Akomolafe / Germany

Chularp Suwannapha / South Africa

Colrs / Germany