Get Inspired By African Fashion At Olympia

By Silvia Baretta Last edited 115 months ago
Get Inspired By African Fashion At Olympia

It's because London is a cultural melting pot that it has become one of the top global cities for the fashion industry. The city celebrates that diversity of style with Africa Fashion Week over the next few days.

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Starting on Friday 8 August and running until Saturday 9 August, this explosion of African culture also shows the growing influence of African design on the current fashion landscape. Whether you're a dedicated fashionista or new to colourful African textiles, this promises to be an occasion not to miss.

Africa Fashion Week is the largest event of its type in Europe and aims to inspire people within the fashion industry to look towards Africa for new ideas. It's no secret that many trend-setting fashion types have used African textiles and patterns in their collections, as much in the past as today. So expect designers from all over the continent, show-casing work that is big on ethical production and hand-crafted pieces.

On Friday and Saturday there will be an African marketplace, where designers and clothes-makers display and sell their creations direct to the audience. You can also apply for a free standing ticket for both Friday and Saturday, which gives you the chance to win prizes. And when buying your ticket, you can decide whether to watch the catwalk shows or visit the exhibition sites.

It should be an occasion to see fresh new talent and get inspiration for a colourful change in your wardrobe.

Like this? We recently climbed Olympia's roof.

Need more fashion inspiration? See The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From Sidewalk to the Catwalk, at Barbican.

Africa Fashion Week runs from 8 until 9 August at Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington W14 8UX. Tickets are £10-£70, depending on the type of ticket selected.

Last Updated 05 August 2014