It was only last year that Africa and the world saw two seemingly power houses Africa Fashion International (AFI) and Arise Magazine enter into what appeared to be a divine relationship, Arise’s sponsor of Africa Fashion Week produced by AFI. Some of the key terms of the agreement were: 1) co-naming rights of Arise Magazine to Africa Fashion Week, Africa Fashion Awards and Capetown Fashion Week; 2) The duration was for five years and of course the hype was over the moon on the new relationship given the 2010 Arise Africa Fashion Week which would coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup games in South Africa. After a relationship that at best lasted for six months, since the signining of the agreement last year, both big wigs have terminated their relationship.
Both camps are silent on the reason for parting ways.
Arise Magazine plans to continue showcasing African designers at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week through its African Fashion Collective. In addition, in increasing the magazine’s brand visibility and also getting African designers directly in the mix of things, Arise plans to debut the African Fashion Collective designers, for the first time, at Paris Fashion Week in March. For AFI, it is on to finding other title sponsors.
~Ladybrille Magazine Staff
Photo: AFI’s Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe & ThisDay/Arise Magazine’s Nduka Obaigbena
Photocredit: Simon Deiner
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
Looking for a sponsership for my own clothing label
wow, i guess one can't predict the future.
It better have been a pretty good reason to stop promoting Africa Fashion Week, and jump unto the Paris Fashion Week bandwagon