Supermodel Naomi Campbell says African designers need a more prominent voice in the fashion industry. The British model was speaking from Lagos, Nigeria where she took part in the Arise Fashion Week.
The event is one of the biggest fashion shows in Africa, which ended on Saturday December 12.
” The talent that comes out of Lagos, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Africa – they don’t get the same platform, in fashion I’m talking about, as designers in the fashion capitals. So coming here brings awareness to them so that people get to see them and hear them. Then that’s why I’m here’’, she said.
The Arise fashion week showcased the next generation of star designers on the continent. Campbell is aiming to spotlight young talents and bring African fashion to the global stage. Her works is to help these designers compete favorably with European, American and Asian designers.
‘’I am very good at connecting and if I can connect them to be on the main stage, then I will do that because they should be. I find it really sad actually that it’s taken African designers, you can get one every five years that can have a slot in Paris Fashion Week or London Fashion Week. I don’t even know if there’s any. I’ve seen such great talent coming out of Africa for years. And what’s most important: done with their hands, you know, not with machines. So before, no, I don’t want people to use these designers as a trend now that it’s like, Black Lives Matter, we need to really – no. If they really want to invest into the infrastructure of Africa, that’s what they should do“, the Supermodel added.
Nigeria has recorded lower numbers of daily coronavirus cases, but organizers of the show ensured social distancing.
