This pop-up could redraw the future of African fashion in Paris
Fashion from elsewhere? No: fashion from the future. Until July 8, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann is hosting a brand new pop-up store by CANEX, a strategic showcase for contemporary African design.
CANEX, more than just a pop-up
Behind this initiative: Afreximbank, the African Export-Import Bank, via its CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus) program. The aim? To provide a global platform for the new guard of African creators, while structuring a sustainable ecosystem. At a time when Africa accounts for less than 1% of global fashion exports, this project is intended to be a catalyst.
According to Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank, the challenge is clear: “to provide access to global markets” for designers, and “to offer a creative and ethical alternative to international consumers”. It’s not just a question of visibility, but of economic transformation.
Four brands, four visions of African modernity
Selected for their originality, export strategy, responsibility and production capacity, the brands to be discovered in this pop-up are not there to make up the numbers.
- BOYEDOE, semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize, fuses minimalist lines with Ghanaian heritage.
- LATE FOR WORK stands for an urban wardrobe, between urgency and social conscience.
- WE ARE NBO (Nairobi Born Originals) celebrates Kenyan streetwear with an identity twist.
- WUMAN, finally, offers a poetic vision of the contemporary feminine through redesigned handmade textiles.
Proof of concept for a new ecosystem
This pop-up is just the visible face of a broader ambition. CANEX has a $2 billion fund to support African creative industries through financing, training and market access. This project at Galeries Lafayette thus acts as a strong signal to the global luxury industry: African fashion isn’t asking for an invitation, it’s creating the new table.
Practical info
📅 Dates: Until July 8, 2025
📍 Location: Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009
🛍️ Pop-up CANEX – Présente l’Afrique
👗 Brands: BOYEDOE, LATE FOR WORK, WE ARE NBO, WUMAN
🌐 More info: galerieslafayette.com
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