JOHANNESBURG, 15 FEBRUARY. African Fashion International (AFI) is taking continental aesthetics to the United Arab Emirates. AFI’s partnership with Forbes, for the upcoming 30/50 Summit to mark International Women’s Day, is a boost for the selected pan-African designers who will platform their creative perceptions to the most powerful women in the world. The summit will be Chaired by co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and Founder of “Know Your Value,” Mika Brzezinski.
This runway of cultural exchange will provide an added touch of recognition to Africa’s already esteemed fashion industry, while also offering creative commentary to the 4-day gathering of global leaders – all of whom form part of Forbes 30 Under 30 and 50 Over 50 community.
Fashion aesthetics of the Middle East will connect with Africa’s bold and edgy expressions of life, finding a common-ground in a shared campaign for gender equality.
“Through fashion we are already challenging misconceptions about women,” says Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Founder and Chief Executive of AFI. “With this partnership we hope to tell a story about the gradual unravelling of gender bias that is happening across cultures. Coming together, as people with different lived experiences, the runway will reveal visions for a gender-equal, empowered and culturally diverse world.”
AFI has, since its founding in 2007, used fashion to spur momentum toward social justice – appealing for gender equality, breast cancer and more action toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
The upcoming international showcase will see five pan-African designers presenting alongside four UAE-based designers and an American designer of Persian descent for an enchanting, multi-perspective critique of gender norms and women empowerment.
In light of AFI taking Cape Town Fashion Week to Abu Dhabi, AFI will be returning to its home base in Cape Town in 2023 with Joburg Fashion Week taking place later in the year.
The AFI Womenswear Fashion Collective runway show in Abu Dhabi will be livestreamed on 7 March 2022, stay up to date with all the latest developments, visit www.africanfashioninternational.com
About the Forbes 30/50 Summit
Forbes will host it’s 30/50 Summit, a global event gathering generations of women from both the “30 Under 30” list and “50 Over 50” list, in Abu Dhabi March 6-9, 2022 to mark International Women’s Day. This event will be a powerful catalyst for change, in a region that has lagged in gender equality. The summit will bring together the most powerful global leaders, including honorees from Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and 50 Over 50 lists, with the mission of forming world-changing alliances. Women’s Day. Speakers include: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of State; Cathie Wood, Founder, CEO and CIO, ARK Investment Management; HRH Princess Lamia bint Majid al-Saud, Secretary General at Alwaleed Philanthropies; Huda Kattan, influencer and founder of Huda Beauty; Jenny Just, Entrepreneur and fintech disruptor, co-founder and managing partner at PEAK6 Investments; Dr Precious Moloi Motsepe, Cofounder & CEO, Motsepe Foundation and Founder & CEO, African Fashion International (AFI); and more. Mika Brzezinski’s feature interview with Secretary Clinton will take place on International Women’s Day, March 8, and will exclusively air on MSNBC’s Morning Joe (weekdays 6-9amET).
The Forbes 30/50 Summit will focus on creating cross-generational mentorship opportunities to provide leadership, guidance, and insights to women at every stage of their career. It will also offer diverse perspectives focused on women in leadership and entrepreneurship, and will provide rich cultural immersion opportunities, including programming at the Louvre Abu Dhabi and a day of service at Zayed University, which was founded to educate young women. On International Women’s Day itself, hundreds of Summit participants will reveal their most important lessons, which will then be shared on the Forbes platforms, “Morning Joe” and others, to empower women across the world.
For more information on this event, please visit: Forbes 30/50 Summit.
About AFI
African Fashion International is a pioneer in the pan-African luxury market, curating African brands and making them accessible to a global audience. Their selections of chic and timeless fashion and lifestyle collections has served discerning customers around the world since 2007.
The brainchild of Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, AFI entered the scene with a clear vision to create a platform where the best, most globally relevant and contemporary African designers will be discovered. AFI has since groomed and propelled local designers into global household names.
| SOURCE: Africanfashioninternational.com |
