Style
Here’s Your Complete Summer Wardrobe Filled with Fashion Staples from African Brands
From the continent to the diaspora, African creatives have been creating fabulous pieces that have been making major waves all year. Influencers and celebrities have been swarming to these brands as they have quickly become favourites and emerged as staples in the fashion industry.
Summer collections from brands have been launched, and honestly, obsession is an understatement for these splurge-worthy designs. From statement-making dresses perfect for a fancy summer dinner in Nairobi to colourful sets for a Yacht Party on the Amalfi Coast – there is something chic for every #BellaStylista on vacation. Here are some of the brands our editors are adding to their carts this season, and we recommend you do the same.
KAI
Ready-to-wear contemporary womenswear brand KAI helmed by Fisayo Longe is one brand we always have our eyes on as each collection drop never ceases to amaze us. This brand counts the likes of Saweetie, Patricia Bright, and Adwoa Aboah as fans and the brand was also included on the Beyoncé.com directory of Black-owned businesses in 2020. The brand’s Instagram is what fashion dreams are made of! Literally!
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Rendoll
Rendoll is an attainable luxury womenswear brand founded by Fashion and beauty Entrepreneur, Reni Abina. Known for producing comfortable pieces, gorgeous prints, amazing jumpsuits and stunning two pieces, this brand was never missing this list for our summer recommendations.
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Kkerelé
Kkerelé offers a chic and artistic take on hand-crafted footwear. Founded in 2018, each piece offers a minimalistic, bold and polished approach from the colour, design and finish. This is a must-have for the summer.
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Banke Kuku
Luxury lifestyle brand Banke Kuku is definitely one of the fastest-growing Nigerian brands, owing to their exquisite textiles and accessory designs which include a range of dresses and bags. Led by textile Designer Banke Kuku, the brand has amassed a cult following of IT fashion girls including Tiwa Savage.
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Noir Collectives
Lagos-based Menswear resort label Noir Collectives is a must-have for summer as they stay launching unmissable two-piece sets and impeccable prints. With locally sourced fabrics and affordable easy-to-wear looks, this is a summer essential for every stylish man this season.
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Rich Mnisi
Rich Mnisi is a South African-based contemporary multi-disciplinary brand founded in 2015 by Rich Mnisi. The boundary-pushing brand with each collection presents a distinct point of view, celebrating culture, heritage, and the common human experience. The pieces range from edgy looks and stunning sets that will make an impression in every room/event you enter.
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DIARRABLU
DIARRABLU is a conscious contemporary lifestyle brand with a focus on practical and versatile pieces designed with math algorithms. The pieces are marked by minimalistic cuts, bold prints and colourful accents and the designs are convertible and adjustable across various sizes for a prolonged life cycle. You have to give their Instagram page a look!
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