The Biggest African Fashion and Lifestyle Trends of 2025

AFI Insider

Africa is no longer waiting for the world to take notice—it’s demanding a seat at the global table. African designers, creatives, artisans, and consumers are reclaiming the narratives, embracing indigenous materials and infusing global markets with an unapologetically African identity.

The continent’s biggest trend of 2025, ‘Afrothencity,’ will redefine fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Africa is shifting from being seen as a source of raw materials to a creative powerhouse.

As Africa’s digital economy surges, technology is reshaping consumer behaviour in profound ways, from fashion choices to everyday lifestyle habits.

African fashion is also blending tradition with cutting-edge technology, cementing its place in the global luxury market. Sustainability, deeply rooted in African traditions, is also emerging as a key focus, with initiatives by African creatives leading the charge in circular fashion. African cities, including Cape Town, Lagos and Nairobi, have become fashion and tech hubs, making it more possible for Africa is to set global trends.

In an exclusive conversation with Vishakha Chopra, Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group, AFI Insider explores the biggest trends of 2025 and, as she says, Africa isn’t just following trends—it’s setting them.

If you had to predict the biggest lifestyle and fashion trend to emerge from Africa in 2025, what would it be—and why?

I believe the biggest trend in 2025 will be ‘Afrothencity’: the authentic embrace of African culture. African designers, artisans and consumers are reclaiming their narratives, embracing indigenous materials, and infusing global markets with an unapologetically African identity. 

This is already manifesting in the rise of Black-made and Black-owned beauty brands. The African beauty market, valued at $13 billion, is booming, with brands formulating products for deeper skin tones, leveraging traditional ingredients like baobab oil and black soap.

Tongoro at Cape Town Fashion Week 2018

The demand for African fabrics like Kente, Ankara, and Shweshwe is increasing, and brands like Sarah Diouf's Tongoro are gaining international acclaim. 

For decades, global luxury style was defined through Western lenses, but Africa is changing that. In the future, the world will no longer look at Africa as a source of raw materials but as a creative powerhouse shaping the future of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

As Africa’s digital economy expands, how do you see technology influencing consumer behaviour, from fashion choices to everyday lifestyle habits in 2025?

Technology is influencing consumer behaviour globally and we are not impervious to it in Africa. Today, mobile penetration in Africa is close to 50% and young mobile-first Africans are increasingly indulging in mobile money purchases, e-commerce and social commerce. This is reshaping the way consumers are inspired, conduct research and make purchasing decisions. 

For instance, Shein and Temu were the most downloaded apps in South Africa in 2023 and 2024 respectively. They are changing consumer behaviour by introducing personalisation, gamification and endless ranges as a core part of their propositions. 

Consumer fashion and lifestyle choices are now determined by ‘curated and individual style’ rather than what’s available in the nearest shopping mall.

Sustainable African fashion brands: LaurenceAirline, Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs and Sarayaa at Cape Town Fashion Week.

African designers are gaining global recognition—what key shifts in the fashion industry will define how ‘Made in Africa’ brands compete on the world stage this year? 

There is no doubt that African fashion, culture and heritage are now being recognised worldwide for their full glory and craftmanship. African couturiers such as Thebe Mugugu, Maxhosa Imane Ayissi and Orange Culture have attained global prominence. Even in the beauty industry, the emergence of Fenty and Ouma as global phenomena has changed the narrative around the standards of beauty and who defines them.

2025 will be a pivotal year. The 2025 Met Gala theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" is celebrating Black dandyism and its profound impact on fashion in the Black Atlantic diaspora. This theme not only acknowledges the rich heritage of Black culture but also highlights the increasing influence of African aesthetics on global fashion narratives.

Tech will play a critical role in the global rise of Afrofuturism and storytelling from an African perspective. Designers are increasingly using AI and manufacturing tech like 3D printing to bring African aesthetics to life.

An example is the Kenyan fashion brand Lilabare’s "Temples of the Future" collection, which blends AI-driven design with botanical dyes and 3D-printed block prints. As African fashion intertwines with tech, it cements its place in the global luxury space, not just as an aesthetic but as a powerful cultural and economic force. 

With sustainability deeply rooted in African traditions, how can the continent lead the way in circular fashion, ethical sourcing, and innovative materials in 2025?

Africa is making significant strides in sustainable fashion. Brands like Maisha by Nisria transform textile waste into couture and there is a spotlight on other sustainable fashion brands.

However, sustainability is not yet a priority for many African consumers. Without a shift toward eco-consciousness, the continent risks adopting fast fashion habits that have devastated other economies.

A painful example is the global textile waste that ends up in Ghana’s Kantamanto Market. About 15 million pieces of discarded clothing arrive weekly, with 40% ending up in landfills or polluting beaches.

To combat this, Africa must unite and draw from its rich heritage of sustainable craftsmanship.

Positive change is already underway. Kenya’s Africa Collect Textiles is recycling old garments into new fibres, while South Africa’s Basil Green develops biodegradable textiles from agricultural waste. 

In Nigeria, Nkwo is pioneering zero-waste design techniques, proving that African ingenuity can lead global efforts in ethical and circular fashion.

By embracing and expanding these initiatives, Africa can not only mitigate environmental impacts but also set a global standard for sustainable fashion practices.

As African cities like Nairobi, Cape Town and Lagos become fashion and tech hubs, what role will they play in setting global lifestyle trends?

Those three cities in particular are shaping global fashion trends through innovation and sustainability. Lagos draws 4000+ attendees and 60+ designers connecting African talent with global markets at their annual fashion week.

Nairobi is leading in sustainability, with brands using recycled materials and local craftsmanship to meet rising eco-conscious demand. 

Cape Town's textile industry is booming, employing thousands, with initiatives like the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster projected to create 20 000+ jobs through local sourcing. 

These cities are merging tradition, technology, and sustainability, solidifying Africa's role in global fashion.