African Designers Shine On Portugal Fashion’s Catwalk
by Adriano Batista
The latest edition of Portugal Fashion brought several novelties. The most relevant came from the partnership with the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), of Afreximbank, a program of the African Investment Bank, which aims to facilitate investment in the African creative and cultural economy.
20 designers from different countries in Africa showed their work during Portugal Fashion: 3 in BLOOM and 5 in the main platform, with the remaining 12 brands represented in BrandUp, the Portugal Fashion showroom.
Take a look at our favorites below:
Rich Mnisi
Rich Mnisi is a multidisciplinary contemporary brand based in South Africa, founded in 2015 by the eponymous designer, winner of the Essence Best in Black Fashion Awards in 2019. The brand was born out of Mnisi’s desire to connect more deeply with his unique culture and heritage and to be able to tell a story through his art. Each collection presents a distinct point of view, celebrating culture, heritage and human experience.
Taibo Bacar
Taibo Bacar was the first African brand to showcase its work at Milan Fashion Week and has won many international awards since its launch. Founded in 2008 by Mozambican designer Taibo Bacar, the brand offers a range of luxurious pieces with vivid patterns, cut into ultra-feminine silhouettes and is known for its fusion of haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces that highlight the female body, using selected cutting techniques and high-quality materials. The brand is known for its uniqueness and strong attachment to African heritage.
Anissa Aida
Created by Anissa Meddeb, a designer who grew up between Tunisia and Paris, this is a ready-to-wear Slow Fashion brand that produces limited editions of timeless and effortless chic pieces. Its aesthetic is minimalist and the cuts and silhouettes combine inspirations from Tunisian culture as well as Japanese references. The designer’s mission is to preserve cultural heritage by reinterpreting local ancestral knowledge. For this, Anissa has collaborated with artisans to hand weave exclusive silk fabrics that have become emblematic elements of the line.
Hugo Costa Spring/Summer 2022
Portugal Fashion consolidates support for emerging designers with BLOOM!
Lucía Melús, a new designer from IED Barcelona, approaches fashion with quiet introspection.
Ann Demeulemeester’s Pre-Spring 2026 collection is about listening. The designer steps back, not to dwell on the past, but to let the house’s own history speak, then moves forward without force.
The collection emerges from two decades of collective memory.
The new XA PRO 3D collaboration between Salomon and Korean designer JEONG LI is a wearable meditation on time, nature, and human connection.
Pitti Uomo’s 108th edition focused on daring fashion experimentation and creative exploration, showcasing inventiveness characterized by eclecticism in addition to a forward-thinking outlook of all things sartorial.
Massimo Giorgetti’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection for MSGM captures the essence of cycling culture.
A$AP Rocky just redefined an icon. In collaboration with Ray-Ban, he’s transformed the classic Wayfarer into something entirely fresh, the Wayfarer Puffer.
Johannes Knop captured by the lens of Julian Freyberg, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Straightforward, adaptable pieces form the core of the collection, with MM6’s signature classics reworked in new ways.
PUMA is back in Paris with a new collaboration, this time with designer Salehe Bembury.
The Polimoda Graduate Show 2025 kicked off Pitti Uomo’s 108th edition, presenting twenty collections from emerging designers that prioritized raw creativity over commercial appeal.
Bershka is doubling down on its mission to spotlight rising artists with Bershka Music, a project that mixes fashion, music, and digital culture.
TOMMY HILFIGER New York, a premium collection launching in February 2026, takes Savile Row tradition and gives it a shot of energy.
The Parisian house started a new chapter with the opening of their new space, located at 10 rue de Picardie, Paris 3rd.
HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Amid Impasto of Horizons, as the Guest of Honor at Pitti Immagine Uomo 108.
Niccolò Pasqualetti unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection during Pitti Uomo 108.
Pitti Uomo 108 in collaboration with Japan Fashion Week Organization takes us backstage at the first international runway show for Japanese brand Children of the Discordance.
On a sunny Paris day, we caught up with Damien for a little chat in a park, because talking poetry on a sunny day in Paris on a weekday feels more than right.
Francesco Risso steps down as creative director of fashion house Marni after a decade.
The latest Stüssy drop has arrived, bringing the same effortless cool the brand has built its name on.
Check out some of our favorite streetstyle looks spotted at Pitti Uomo 108.
Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama presented his Spring/Summer 2026 collection “Enfant Terrible” for Children of the discordance, at Pitti Uomo 108.
We talked with Ecstasya about her hiatus, the struggle of keeping Lisbon’s first queer hardcore night (Maythey) alive, and why the best tracks come from being “sad as fuck.”
Zalando just launched a five-piece capsule collection where workwear meets burger obsession.
Young talents have until July 17 to apply for a chance to present their work, receive industry support, and compete for career-changing prizes.
Jun Takahashi has imagined the season in the most bohemian, easy, and relaxed way possible.
Bikkembergs unveiled their latest collab for a new generation of fashion and street culture aficionados at Pitti Uomo 108 with designer Gosha Rubchinskiy reimagining the classic Soccer sneaker.
Patta and Nike reunite for “The New Wave,” a capsule collection centered on the Air Max 90, a silhouette deeply embedded in sneaker culture.
The line is built on simplicity, with each piece serving as a quiet statement rather than an obvious trend.
Designer Charles Jeffrey presented the Spring/Summer 2026 collection for his brand LOVERBOY at the iconic Abbey Road studios.
