10 African designers selected for inaugural luxury Accelerator x Africa programme, by IFM-Birimian
Christie Brown, Mmuso Maxwell, Rich Mnisi and Loza Maléombho, are among the first cohort of African design talent selected for the luxury IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa.
Birimian the first operational investment company dedicated to African luxury and premium heritage brands has announced the 10 African fashion brand finalists, who will take part in its inaugural IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa programme.
Those selected to take part include Loza Maléombho (Ivory Coast), Christie Brown (Ghana), Kente Gentlemen (Ivory Coast), Mille collines (Rwanda), Mmuso Maxwell (South Africa), Post Imperial (Nigeria), Rich Mnisi (South Africa), Shekudo (Nigeria) This Is Us (Nigeria), and Umòja (Burkina Faso).
In partnership with Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), the program will provide the fashion brands with essential tools to enhance their brands and skills in necessary areas.
The one-of-a-kind programme will offer support in diverse areas. These include: helping define their brand platform, strengthening their creative process; helping them to target relevant audiences; supporting them to establish consistent marketing strategies, financial management; enhancing the planning and structuring of their collections; building distribution and communications strategies and much more.
“This program is a unique opportunity for designers and emerging brands, both on the continent and in the diaspora, to get strategic, operational, and financial support for ten months, thus allowing them to make their activities more professional and organized. It is a program focused on training the young African creative guard and promoting creative entrepreneurship,’ a statement from Birimian reads.
“The class of designers embody the new creative African guard: reinvented tradition, undeniable creative talent, Afropolitan, urban, and digitally focused…while proudly showcasing their heritage through collections whose originality no longer needs to be proven,” says Laureen Kouassi-Olsson, CEO of Birimian.
“However”, she adds “[ the industry] remains fragile, hence the need to strengthen their basics and provide them with operational, strategic, creative, and financial support.”
“The designers and entrepreneurs will work on all the components of their brand with the objective of not only boosting their reputation but also developing sustainable businesses in an international ecosystem while preserving their African heritage,” adds Thomas Delattre, Director of the Fashion Entrepreneurship Center at Institut Français de la Mode.
The designers were also given an opportunity to be part of the Première Classe event on the side-lines of the just-concluded Paris Fashion Week, giving the brands valuable exposure to the European fashion scene.
Launched in June 2021, IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa is an innovative acceleration program for emerging African heritage brands in the fashion, accessories, and jewellery sectors. Every year for ten months, the program, funded by Birimian, intends to support ten young designers selected by a committee of experts from the international creative scene. The brands participating in the program will also receive investment and/or consulting and support services from Birimian.
Holding image Credits:
Mmuso Maxwell
IMBOKODO 21 Campaign.
Photography – @tatendachidora
Stylist & art direction – @chloe_andrea_the_creator
MUA & Hair – @bassie_makeupartist
Muse – @iam_conniemore @desiree_rsa
Production – @lampostsa @lampost.production – Carlien De Kock