The United Kingdom is set to have a monumental Black History Month. As the country celebrates in October, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) will partner with Black History and Lifestyle Awards (BHLA) for fashion show among many other festivities.
The event will run from Oct. 27 to 29, with a range of activities celebrating Black achievement in fashion and in overall society, as reported by The Sun. In Africa Fashion Week London’s 13 years of highlighting African designers, the anniversary will also be commemorated in its weekend events as well.
AFWL’s founder, Olori Ronke Ademiluyi Ogunwusil, shared that her “privileged” attendance at the awards ceremony in 2022 prompted the conversation surrounding a possible collaboration. Their quest to curate an event in honor of London’s Black History Month came into fruition this year.
“We both decided that, rather than her doing her show independently, we could come together, bring our forces together, bring our energy and network opportunity to just showcase Africa to the world,” shared the founder. “In addition to that, we are launching our first UK trade expo this year. Why we decided to do that is that we’ve noticed that, over the years, fashion is beyond just showcasing designs on the runway. So, we are trying to showcase the entire value chain of the industry.”
As for the people in charge of the Black History and Lifestyle awards, those spearheading the event are more than ready to showcase Black-owned business on a global platform.
“We are trying to change the narrative of this black slavery stint and showcase our heritage, our culture, and let people know that black-owned businesses have come to stay,” expressed Ezi-Ada Folashade Balogun, one of the initiators of BHLA and founder of African fashion brand, House of Sota.
The fashion show itself will feature prominent celebrities walking the runway and be a gathering spot for all to witness the greatness of Black fashion and entrepreneurship.
