African Fashion Night in Zurich "These patterns represent the arms and elbows of people who have been mutilated"
African design is more exciting than ever in 2025. This was impressively demonstrated at the African Fashion Night in Zurich. blue News was there, spoke to designers - and offers you an exclusive look behind the scenes.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- At the African Fashion Night in Zurich, designers from various African countries showcased their diversity.
- African fashion is not limited to colorful prints - it ranges from streetwear to avant-garde.
- African fashion is not a copy, but a leading force with global influence.
- Sustainability is not a fad in African fashion - it is a living tradition, rooted in craftsmanship, zero waste and upcycling.
African fashion has long been more than just short-lived hype. This is demonstrated not only by the numerous Fashion Weeks on the African continent, but also by events in Europe - from Paris to Zurich. The latter recently hosted the African Fashion Night at Kunsthaus Zürich. The event took place for the sixth time - and is growing rapidly: the number of models alone has doubled within a year.
Diversity from 54 countries
This year, labels such as Urban Zulu, Jermaine Bleu, Flamingo Handmade, Shayo and Fashionaid came from South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. They were joined by local designers such as Kenu Boutique and Inside Upcycling Couture - and delivered a fashion show that was as colorful and diverse as the African continent itself.
Anyone who equates African fashion solely with Ankara fabrics, kente or wax prints is missing the point. Africa encompasses 54 countries, countless cultures, textile traditions and aesthetic signatures - from the kaftan culture in Morocco to urban streetwear from Lagos. Designers such as Imane Ayissi and Thebe Magugu are now an integral part of international luxury fashion and show their collections at Paris Fashion Week. African fashion design is globally accessible - and has long been a style-defining influence.
When fashion makes history
However, African fashion is not only aesthetically but also politically charged. Papy, designer of Urban Zulu, explains: "These patterns represent my heritage from the Congo - they stand for the arms and elbows of people who were mutilated."
He is alluding to the brutal colonial history of the Congo: Between 1885 and 1908, troops of the Belgian King Leopold II mutilated thousands of people when they failed to meet their rubber quota. Urban Zulu makes these wounds visible - and uses them to create a strong, visual culture of remembrance.
"We celebrate what we are today - without forgetting where we come from," says Papy in an interview with blue News.
Nnamdi Eronini, designer of the Shayo label, creates T-shirts with symbols of the ancient African script Nsibidi. "They are powerful words with a strong meaning," he explains to blue News. Words such as "Unity", "Peace", "Wisdom" and "Strength" adorn the backs of his designs.
African fashion tells stories of identity, empowerment and resistance without being preachy. Many designers deal with colonial history, cultural appropriation and gender roles - and translate them into fabric, cut and symbolism.
Sustainability as DNA
While European labels are working flat out to create a sustainable image in 2025 - and a fashion company without a sustainability concept hardly seems viable - sustainability in African fashion is not a marketing claim, but a lived reality.
Whether local raw materials, artisanal production, zero waste or upcycling: these principles are not new, but deeply rooted in the production methods of African designers. Sustainability is a tradition here - not a strategy.
A style-defining force
African fashion does not follow - it leads. More than ever, at a time when the international fashion industry needs to reinvent itself.
Watch the blue news video above and be inspired by African style. The designers explain why African fashion is considered a luxury today - and the stories they want to convey with their style.
