Africa Has Its Own Fashion Rhythm and It’s Not Trend Driven
Every season, Western brands rush to debut a collection. Immediately thereafter, fashion tabloids, influencers, and bloggers are already predicting upcoming trends for the seasons based on the collections. For instance for the fall/winter 2025/2026, the colours burgundry and grey will be trending.
I then sought to find fashion trends from Kenyan and African brands at large. I had to consider the weather patterns for most African countries isn't based on the four seasons and that funding and innovation in the fashion industry isn't similar to the Western countries.
What fashion trends does Africa have right now in 2025?
Simply put; Individuality.
Africans love to express themselves and they use fashion as a mode of expression. This is seen through different collections unveiled by different African brands. Culture and nature is a usually a major reference and source of inspiration for most if not all African brands.
This is how the brands maintain uniqueness years into production. Nothing is quite as similar as other brands due to their different Individuality of the brand which then makes market for all the brands.
The lack of trends also makes room from slow fashion because the pieces produced remain timeless and stylish.
Ye (formerly Kanye West) said, "you are a slave if you follow trends."
Africans who are still fighting of colonialism are not trying to get back there, at least not through the fashion industry.