The Fashion Operator
Posts
🌍 AfCFTA enters operational phase, Saks takes luxury to Amazon

🌍 AfCFTA enters operational phase, Saks takes luxury to Amazon

Your African fashion news & careers cheat sheet for 27 February 2025

Modupe Oloruntoba
February 27, 2025 • Reading this will take: 6 minutes

Like The Fashion Operator? I’d appreciate it so much if you could share it with your fashion network. Got this from a friend? Subscribe to join hundreds of creative pros moving African fashion forward.

Hi Operator,

In case you missed it, AYANA launched today with 32 stores & online (which technically launched yesterday afternoon). The full collection of 128 items is now on display, including shapewear and shoes, two things there have barely been any hints of until now. SA operators, do send in your thoughts if you bought something (I won’t publish them without asking).

Something I missed in the Building AYANA story was where the collection was made. Like most major retailers, Pepkor has mixed offshore and local — all AYANA’s suiting as well as some dresses and tops were made in South Africa. They sent me images of some of the locally made items:

(skirt)

With no round up last week, today’s selection is a little longer, so grab a coffee and sit with it, especially AFDI’s breakdown of PAPSS, now that AfCFTA is officially in its operational phase (I really want AfCFTA to work, and after its effects become more visible in day to day market activities, I’ll explain why).

With thanks,
Modupe Oloruntoba

The Fashion Operator has an RSS feed link — use it to send TFO to your reading app, news aggregator, or any tool that receives RSS inputs.

Across Africa

Naira's comeback: How buying premium Made-in-Nigeria goods can strengthen currency

Naira: It was a crisp morning in Lagos when Adamu, a leather goods manufacturer in Kano, received an unexpected call from...

African Bank partners with Khosi Nkosi for Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks

African Bank is collaborating with fashion house Khosi Nkosi to present two collections at Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks in March...

Mitumba, fabric imports stifling textile industry

Despite Kenya’s local sector making a mark in the global space through apparel exports, imports remain high.

The Retailers Unlocking Africa’s Luxury Market

Global brands have traditionally prioritised multi-brand stores in South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco to gain a foothold on the continent. Now, some are looking further afield to boutiques in Kenya, Angola and Egypt.

If not Shein, what? Affordable, locally produced fashion, of course.

Many South Africans feel like the only options for fashion are imported ultra-fast fashion or expensive local brands. But that’s not true – there are affordable, locally made options.

AfCFTA gains momentum as 48 African countries ratify agreement

As 48 states deposit their ratification instruments, trade under AfCFTA rules is well underway between 19 states.

CANEX Presents Africa

Through #CANEXPresentsAfrica, 10 designers are showcasing their work at #COTERIENewYork, one of the world’s leading fashion trade shows

Jobs + opportunities in African Fashion

The 5th edition of Africa Fashion Up is now accepting entries

Africa Fashion UP invites young talents and top African designers, selected by a specialized international committee, to present their creations at a show dedicated to them in Paris.

2025 Young Designers Competition

Now open for entries

Role	Company	City
Fashion Marketing & Strategy expert	BITTANY	Lagos
Senior buying manager	Mr Price Group	Durban
Assistant Fashion Designer	Kingsley Heath	Durban
Designers, buyers, interns	TFG	Cape Town
Social Media Strategist	Bash	Cape Town
Head of Growth	Superbalist	Cape Town
Stylist	Superbalist	Cape Town
Trend & design team leader	Ackermans	Cape Town
Design Specialist: Footwear	Ackermans	Cape Town