Featured among the African brands at Tranoï Tokyo were Vanhu Vamwe, a heritage brand from Zimbabwe known for its ethical luxury handcrafted heirlooms that blend traditional craftsmanship with modern design; The Cloth, a fashion label established in 1986 in Trinidad and Tobago by Creative Director Robert Young; and Shekudo from Nigeria, originally a women’s clothing brand inspired by heritage and life experiences, which was relaunched in 2017 to focus on footwear and accessories, with operations across the Indian Ocean and production in Lagos, Nigeria.
Additional brands included Dina Shaker from Egypt, whose design philosophy emphasizes enhancing personal style; Adele Dejak, a luxury fashion jewelry brand based in Nairobi recognized for its contemporary designs and traditional craftsmanship; Katush from Kenya, which began its journey by exploring perceptions of identity within history and culture and their relevance today; and ANISSA AIDA, founded by Anissa Meddeb in 2016, which creatively blends inspirations from her Tunisian heritage and her admiration for Japanese aesthetics.
Also presenting their work were JUDY SANDERSON, a women’s ready-to-wear brand based in Portugal and founded by South African designer Judy Sanderson; Fozia Endrias, an ethical casual wear label from Addis Ababa; and Emmy Kasbit, a sustainable fashion brand from Nigeria established in 2014 by Creative Director Emmanuel Okoro and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Olurin.
Commenting on the event, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, said that Afreximbank’s participation at Tranoï Tokyo through CANEX reflected the Bank’s broad strategy to promote African talent on the global stage and to drive the development of African creatives.“We are using CANEX at Tranoï Tokyo to position Afreximbank as a leader in supporting Africa's creative industries by facilitating linkages between designers and industry stakeholders, including buyers, investors, manufacturers and the press, providing them with opportunities to access new markets to increase trade and facilitating the integration of the African fashion industry into the global value chain,” said Mrs. Awani.
Emphasising Afreximbank’s commitment to supporting Africa's creative economy, Mrs. Awani urged African and international designers, buyers and media to attend the CANEX WKND 2024 scheduled to take place in Algiers from 16 to19 October, saying that it would provide a unique platform for facilitating business, investment, collaboration, partnerships and inspiration amongst creatives.
CANEX Presents Africa provides emerging fashion designers with a platform for development through the transfer of skills, linkages and partnerships as well as market access opportunities aimed at equipping the participants with skills for creating financially sustainable businesses capable of being scaled.
The inaugural CANEX Presents Africa event was held in Porto, Portugal in October 2021, showcasing the works of 20 African designers. Since its inception, the initiative has supported 80 designers from 27 African nations and the Diaspora.