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EFI Programme Officer Océane Joncoux recently spent three weeks in Burkina Faso and Benin, leading a series of mentoring sessions with local fashion designers. With a background in collection strategy and product development, and eight years of experience working with EFI across Africa, she brings both technical expertise and deep regional knowledge. Working closely with emerging designers, she supported them in strengthening their positioning, product development and long-term growth, and shares insights into the initiative for EFI Stories.
The initiative is part of the ACP Business Friendly programme, with support from the European Union and OACPS.
The photos in the article are by KERAWA studio / SHAWN NEWSON.
What is the main objective of the mentoring programme in these two countries?
The primary objective of mentoring designers is to create commercial bridges at local and sub-regional levels for the textile artisan groups we support – including spinners, weavers and dyers.
In terms of what I work on most with designers, my background is in collection development and production management, so the focus of those sessions is on collections: product assortment, material choices within the supply chain, finishing, and the presentation of the final product.
But none of this can be done without first working on brand positioning, strategy and customer targeting. Before talking about product categories or collection rhythm, we need to understand the ecosystem in which they operate and where they want to position their brand.
What kinds of designers is the mentoring for?
The designers come from varied backgrounds, but many are self-taught. To join the programme, they had to validate at least four courses from ITC’s Global Fashion Academy – some of them are currently making the transition from being bespoke tailors toward building a ready-to-wear brand.
How do you work with designers, and which aspects do you focus on most?
We launch the mentoring programme with a collective workshop, which is also open to external designers who are not formally enrolled in the programme. After that, we move into tailored one-to-one mentoring, adapting to each brand, its positioning and its storytelling. That adaptability is the added value of the programme, because each brand requires a different approach, tailored to their needs and to their Identity.
In terms of designer coaching, it’s important to note that we are not simply copying global ready-to-wear models. Instead, we work on adapting to local demand – in terms of body measurements, but also in terms of the strong desire for uniqueness. Customers often do not want to see the same dress worn by someone else; they prefer limited editions and often want the possibility to alter garments later. As a result, finishing techniques are also adapted to allow garments to be easily adjusted over time, particularly in terms of sizing.
What other areas did you find important to address with them?
Another priority is introducing concepts of transparency, documentation and traceability. These will be essential for the future implementation of digital product passports, which could eventually allow brands to access European Union markets.
However, this is a longer-term perspective. For now, most of the brands first need to strengthen their presence at national level before thinking about export.
What’s next on your agenda for capacity building?
We’re already started other coaching series, in collaboration with the EFI team in Burkina Faso-Benin. Those will focus on different trade aspects such as communication, ESG, distribution, business, human resources etc. We are also organising in-kind workshops with international designers – much to come!
In West Africa, EFI is supported by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and the Pacific States (OACPS) under the ACP – Business Friendly Programme.
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The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
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