OUR STORY

AFRICA FASHION WEEK (AFW) was an idea that rose from the front-row of Arise Magazine’s runway show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York, in 2009, from the most improbably source, a young tech and communications professional named Adiat Disu. Adiat Disu, born and partially raised in Lagos, Nigeria and in Boston Massachusetts, felt called to New York City to work in Corporate America, with dreams of also executing her collegiate business plan; and contribute to the creative and fashion industries – thus the conception of Adiree (the marketing and communications firms behind Africa Fashion Week).

EVENT FEATURES

AFRICA FASHION WEEK (AFW) will host a series of events geared towards to the ethical development and empowerment of Africa's Fashion Industry :

  • AFW Master Class Series: “Off The Runways” | “Off The Runways” is an event series from Adiat Disu & Associates aimed at engaging entrepreneurs, investors, and creatives over meaningful dialogue about the development of Africa’s Fashion Industry. Away from the beautiful chaos that is the runway, our Master Class is an opportunity for both emerging and established leaders around the world and within Africa’s developing fashion industry to exchange contacts, thoughts and ideas. Off The Runway is the business exchange that invests in Africa’s entrepreneurs, young creative’s, and women in the multi-billion dollar fashion industry. The event covers topics that range from public relations, corporate social responsibility to business management and finance. In 2014, Adiat Disu & Associates partnered with the United Nations Foundation for its first Master Class “Off the Runway” during the fifth annual Africa Fashion Week.
  • AFW Panels | Panels moderated by Adiree feature participating designers and brands from around the world discussing challenges and opportunities within Africa’s Fashion Industry.
  • AFW Runway Shows & Presentations | Runway shows and presentations feature new collections from designers and brands from Africa.
  • AFW Pop Up Shops | Pop shops are retail opportunities for designers and brands alike to engage consumers, test the market, and also gather feedback from their target consumers.
  • AFW Mixers | Ahhh. Strategic retreats. Our mixers allow participants (designers, press, and the public) to relax, while networking with one another. Usually themed to add some bit of fun to the hectic week.

For our updated schedule visit : AfricaFashionWeek.com/Schedule 

OUR FOUNDER

Adiat Disu, a native of Lagos, Nigeria studied at Philips Exeter Academy and graduated from Bentley University with degrees in Information Technology and Corporate Communications. Disu, while studying at Bentley University, was scouted by TJX Companies, Inc. the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide, ranking No. 108 in the most recent Fortune 500 listings. With $27.4 billion in revenues in 2013, more than 3,200 stores in 6 countries, 3 e-commerce sites, and approximately 191,000 Associates, we see ourselves as a global, off-price, value retailer. We operate T.J. Maxx and Marshalls (combined, The Marmaxx Group), HomeGoods and Sierra Trading Post, as well as tjmaxx.com and sierratradingpost.com, in the United States; Winners, HomeSense, and Marshalls (combined, TJX Canada) in Canada; and T.K. Maxx in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Poland, as well as HomeSense and tkmaxx.com in the U.K. (combined, TJX Europe). Disu, as an Planning Allocation Analyst, affected an average of $90 million in sales by identifying and maximizing business opportunities via weekly allocation strategies to nine hundred and fifteen (915) stores across the country and initiated, pitch, and created the company’s first ever “Denim Bible” created to aid buyers in categorize premium denim, based on style, fit, and buying patterns (tastes) of certain ethnic groups. Post graduation, Disu joined IBM, as an Operations and Communications Specialists for IT Analyst Relations. Disu managed initiatives such as Smart Planet, Cloud Computing, and System Z. Her mandate was to establish and strengthen relationships between IBM and over 500 IT Analyst Firms (U.S. and International), informing analysts of initiatives using vast forms of communication strategies, with the result being IBM gaining credibility from analyst’s coverage. After departing from IBM, Disu developed the company Adirée at 21 years of age. DIRECTOR OF AFRICA FASHION WEEKS Adiat Disu | Director & Project Manager : Africa Fashion Week New York | London | Paris | Milan | Berlin | Tokyo. Through partnerships, quality productions, campaigns, and media placements Adirée is establishing the way consumers should view products from Africa (i.e. Made in Angola, Made in Zimbabwe, or Made in Nigeria). Using communications strategies such as hosting international “Africa fashion Weeks” in 2009, ignited a trend via their original idea of establishing and hosting African Fashion Weeks throughout fashion capitals thus birthing Africa Fashion Week New York | London | Paris | Milan | Berlin | Tokyo. Africa Fashion Week (AFW) in New York attracts more than 1,500 industry insiders; securing the support and proclamation from the offices of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who emphasized the event would promote tourism to New York with 70% of designers coming directly from Africa, thereby further fostering a relationship between the U.S. and Africa.

AFW TODAY

Through partnerships, quality productions, campaigns, and media placements Adirée is establishing the way consumers should view products from Africa (i.e. Made in Angola, Made in Zimbabwe, or Made in Nigeria). Using communications strategies such as hosting international “Africa fashion Weeks” in 2009, ignited a trend via their original idea of establishing and hosting African Fashion Weeks throughout fashion capitals thus birthing Africa Fashion Week New York | London | Paris | Milan | Berlin | Tokyo. Africa Fashion Week (AFW) in New York attracts more than 1,500 industry insiders; securing the support and proclamation from the offices of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who emphasized the event would promote tourism to New York with 70% of designers coming directly from Africa, thereby further fostering a relationship between the U.S. and Africa.