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We’re excited to announce our presence at Milan Fashion Week this September, where we’ll be hosting two major events that spotlight our global community of artisans, designers, and sustainable enterprises. Join us as we bring the spirit of ethical fashion to the heart of the industry.
Partnering with the iconic concept store 10 Corso Como and with Spring Studios, EFI presents The Cotton Road – an immersive exhibition tracing the journey of cotton from the farmers of Benin and Burkina Faso to the hands of spinners, weavers, and designers shaping its transformation. Running from September 25 to 28, the program includes live artisan demonstrations, African designer showcases and two public roundtable discussions exploring the future of fashion.
Designed by scenographer Richmond Orland Mensah (of Manju Journal), the exhibition also features the work of five African designers selected by EFI to create a unique look – a collaboration rooted in local materials and made using traditional methods such as hand weaving, hand-embroidery, beadwork and plant-based dyeing.
At the heart of the exhibition is the work of five African designers that have been selected by EFI to create a unique look. The collaboration is rooted in local materials and made using traditional methods such as hand weaving, hand-embroidery, beadwork and plant-based dyeing. To create those exclusive looks, each designer received sourcing and production support from EFI – collaborating with its social enterprise partners (CABES, Studio 4, and Koyibaton) as well as other artisanal producers in West Africa.
Featured Designers:
Spanning four days, EFI’s residency at 10 Corso Como also includes live artisan demonstrations – an opportunity for visitors to engage directly with different crafts, observe age-old skills in practice, and even try their hand at weaving on the looms.
On September 26th, two roundtable conversations will bring together designers, experts and industry leaders to discuss pressing issues and emerging ideas in fashion today.
Organized by EFI and 10 Corso Como, and moderated by Teneshia Carr of Blanc Magazine, this conversation explores the future of African fashion through the lens of visibility, ownership, and cultural storytelling. Featured speakers include leading designers and creative entrepreneurs from across Africa and its diaspora – Damien Ajavon, Edward Buchanan, Michelle Francine Ngonmo, and Richmond Orlando Mensah.
We are bringing three of our African social enterprise partners to Lineapelle, one of the world’s leading fairs for leather and fashion materials.
EFI’s showcase will feature work produced with CABES GIE (Burkina Faso), Tujikuze (Kenya) and Artisan Fashion (Kenya) – and include sustainable leather and textile innovations rooted in social impact and artisanal excellence.
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.
In Kenya, EFI is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
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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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