Africa Fashion Week London To Join Black History And Lifestyle Awards

The United Kingdom is set to have a monumental Black History Month in October. Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) will partner with Black History and Lifestyle Awards (BHLA) for a fashion show in addition to many other festivities.

The collaborative event will run Oct. 27 to 29, 2023, with activities celebrating Black achievement in fashion and in society, as reported by The Sun. Africa Fashion Week London’s 13 years of highlighting African designers, will also be commemorated during the weekend’s events.

AFWL’s founder, Olori Ronke Ademiluyi Ogunwusil, shared that her attendance at the Black History and Lifestyle Awards in 2022 prompted the conversation surrounding a possible collaboration between AFWL and BHLA. And now Africa Fashion Week London’s relatively short quest to honor London’s Black History Month is complete.

“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.”

The organizers of AFWL and BHLA 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,” said Ezi-Ada Folashade Balogun, one of the initiators of BHLA and founder of African fashion brand, House of Sota.

The fashion show will feature prominent celebrities walking the runway and be a gathering spot for all to witness the greatness of Black fashion and entrepreneurship.