AFI Partners to Champion African Fashion: A New Era of Global Influence
Africa Fashion International and Harvard Center for African Studies Present "Afro Dandy: Tailored for Africa" in New York
AFI Presents Afro Dandy - Tailored For Africa
Africa Fashion International (AFI), in collaboration with the Harvard Center for African Studies, hosted a landmark event, "Afro Dandy: Tailored for Africa," on Friday, 2 May 2025 at Moonlight Studios in New York City.
This special gathering, was set just ahead of the Met Gala weekend, and shone a spotlight Africa's influence on global fashion through the lens of Afro Dandyism.
The event celebrated Africa’s influence on global fashion.
AFI x Met Gala 2025
Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, wore custom David Tlale for House of Nala or her first Met Gala. Earlier in the day, she attended the preview of 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' at the Met Museum.
Afro Dandy: Tailored for Africa
Dr Zoe Marks, Faculty Director of the Harvard Center for African Studies and Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, moderated the "Afro Dandy - Tailored for Africa" panel discussion.
Panel Speakers:
David Tlale – Fashion Designer
Touria El Glaoui – Founder, Contemporary African Art Fair
Omar Salam – Fashion Designer
Marius Kothor – Historian (20th Century Women in Togo)
Chloe Chapin – Cultural Critic and Fashion Scholar
Fireside Chat with Chioma Nnadi
Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Founder & CEO of Africa Fashion International (AFI), has a Fireside Chat with Chioma Nnadi, Head of Editorial Content at British Vogue.
The Afro Dandy Fashion Show
Runway Show: A showcase of 10 looks from AFI's specially curated Afro Dandy collection, with designers from around the continent, including Sheria Ngowi, Imprint_ZA, Masa Mara, David Tlale & Nala Privé
The event featured the premiere of the AFI-produced documentary, “Afro Dandy: Dandier then the Rest”, which follows AFI designer, Loice Dube’s journey across Africa to draw inspiration for the latest NALA Privé collection, rooted in the African Black Dandy tradition.
The Guests
The AFI Brand Story
Our Mission
AFI's motto is "To take African Fashion mainstream." We achieve this by:
- Showcasing African fashion designers globally
- Providing market opportunities and training through our incubator, Fastrack
- Delivering high-quality products that embody creativity, innovation, and self-expression
Our Values
• Creating value for communities - We prioritise community development and empowerment
• Ubuntu - Our interdependence with communities and the planet drives our actions
• Love for Africa - Our passion for Africa and its people fuels our commitment to excellence
Our Vision
AFI seeks to be the best Luxury company from Africa, showcasing the continent's creative capital and promoting African fashion globally. With the House of Nala stores in premium locations, including Sandton City Mall and One&Only Hotel in Cape Town, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional products and experiences to our discerning customers.
About House of Nala:
House of Nala celebrates African culture, creativity, and community through curated high end fashion from African designers.
Our name, Nala, means "abundance" in many African languages, reflecting our commitment to showcasing the richness and diversity of Africa and its unique cultures and talents. We empower communities through nurturing creativity and valuing strength, gentleness, pride, and humility.
Discover our unique blend of traditional and modern styles, curated from talented African designers and artisans across the continent.
We are the home of African Luxury Brands.