Category: BIZTECH

Photo: Threads Styling The largest retail operator in the Middle East has acquired the UK-based personal shopping platform for an undisclosed sum. Chalhoub Group’s chief investment officer Sharmila Murat and Threads Styling’s founder Sophie Hill discuss what’s next. BY KATI CHITRAKORN Chalhoub Group, the retail operator and distributor that represents more than 300 fashion brands in…

Each start-up will receive at least $50,000 from the program.Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the program aims to bridge the gap between African-led businesses, investors, and donor agencies.The program is also sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, AUDA-NEPAD, and AmerisourceBergen. Investing in Innovation…

VLISCO has committed to spending €7.3 million in the next five years on initiatives that will add value to textiles and expansion of production in Africa. “We have materialised this commitment via 15 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives built under seven of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are: quality education, reduce inequality,…

Over a thousand students from the University of Mauritius have benefited from a three-year skills development program in the latest cloud computing technologies organized by the database management company Oracle. Oracle and the University of Mauritius announced the successful completion of the program on Thursday, April 21. As part of the program, the student entrepreneurs…

Johannesburg – Renowned South African designer Thebe Magugu might be making massive strides in the fashion world but he attributes much of his success to the women in his life. The influence of his mother, aunt and grandmother has now come to life in his new and innovative ‘Finding Beauty’ collection in collaboration with Adidas.…

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Alexander Erinle couldn’t help thinking about how the fashion world had ground to a halt because of self-isolation and social distancing. This led to the creation of Thrill Digital, a Nigerian tech start-up that seeks to revolutionise fashion in the digital world and with it, an…

Chinese companies are committed to investing in five important drivers of the African supply chain: inventory, production, location, transportation and information, according to a new report about China’s investments in African countries released recently by the China-Africa Business Council (CABC), which feels Chinese firms have been a positive and productive part of the African market.…

Annual Fashion Shows are planned as part of phase two of the programme. Image: Supplied. Youth with a passion for the fashion industry can grow their fashion business and gain job opportunities with the launch of a South African online fashion store. Headways Investment Group is launching Headways e-Shop, an online marketplace to help African…

Debonair Afrik bounced back this year after the COVID-19 break with its institutional event, Style Lounge Weekend 2022 (#SLW22). This year’s event started with the Creators Soiree at The Mix Design Hub. The black tie event was well-attended by fashion personalities and enthusiasts alike. This event is tailored to celebrate creatives in the African fashion…

At this point, we are all probably in awe of travel vlogger Frances Theodore and her adventurous lifestyle as she consistently feeds us with exciting travel content. In her latest vlog, she takes over Kigali, Rwanda, with her crew, The Geng, capturing breathtaking moments with stunning scenery, people, cuisines and Rwanda’s rich culture. Want to…

China has pledged to forgive 23 interest-free loans for 17 African countries and will also provide food assistance to the struggling nations. China will forgive 23 loans for 17 African nations, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has announced. “China will waive the 23 interest-free loans for 17 African countries that had matured by the end…

The Council for International African Fashion Education (CIAFE) is an organisation that is dedicated to improving the standards of fashion education in order to make it accessible to all people in hopes to create employability opportunities, launched in July 2021. FashionUnited spoke with CIAFE’s executive director Frederica Brooksworth about the development of digital fashion and…

The Esmod International group of fashion schools has decided to turn to Sub-Saharan Africa by partnering with French-English audiovisual academy LAFAAAC. The aim of this partnership, supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, is to accompany a new generation of professionals in their ambition to create a brand and to allow young African talents to…

Birimian, the investment company dedicated to connecting African luxury and heritage fashion brands with international investors, has announced a strategic partnership with European asset management firm Trail Capital to scale up support for African fashion houses and brands. To mark the partnership, Paris-based Trail has invested an undisclosed sum in Birimian’s dedicated investment vehicle. This…

A fashion e-commerce startup, Folklore, headquartered in New York has picked up $1.7 million pre-seed funding. The investment was led by Slauson & Co. alongside participation from Fearless Fund, WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike, Backbone Angels, Fab Co-Creation Studio Ventures, Untapped Capital, True Capital Management’s Culture Fund, and a number of family offices and angel investors.…

As an entrepreneur with a new idea, before the investors and capital come, you become your own biggest hype man. When Amira Rasool first launched The Folklore Group — an e-commerce retailer for African fashion brands — in 2018, she full-heartedly believed in her platform with the mission of helping African designers gain more support…