Hub of Africa 2012 goes eco – fashion
Zela Gayle
The African Union hosted the Hub of Africa 2012 Fashion Week at its new Conference Centre here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Clairvoyant Marketing Agency and In the Bag and Origin Africa joined forces with African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF) in organizing the event, held from the 24th – 27th April 2012, to highlight African designers’ trend and their growing consideration to the environment and the social impact of the fashion industry.
Over 30 designers from Africa including Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, The democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa have participated in the event that created a line which emphasized eco-fashion.
Speaking to his magazine, designer Anne Mpinga, from Kenya, says Kipusa (her collection) “is a Swahili word that means beautiful young lady. It is a fashion house whose aim is to create statement pieces that drape flawlessly on a woman’s curves”.
Kipusa came to life in June 2011 and has been growing ever since. Most of its pieces are designed using Ankara prints, lace, cotton, satin, linen and the occasional raw silk, making them appealing for the fashion forward woman who is not afraid to step out wearing something different. “In regards to my eco-fashion piece, I created something that was colorful, stylish, elegant and still wearable everyday.” The Hub of Africa Fashion Week with the theme ‘Eco fashion’ created the awareness to consumers and designers of sustainable ways to promote environmentally conscious fashion.
