Manzini has called on retailers to stock more African designer brands. He spoke at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow.
Manzini asked designers, retailers, boutiques and international partners to work more closely together. He said this would make African fashion easier for shoppers to buy and open new ways for young brands to reach buyers.
“The BRICS+ Fashion Summit is creating a new global platform where emerging fashion markets can connect, collaborate and do business,” Manzini said. “It moves the conversation beyond traditional fashion capitals and gives countries like South Africa an opportunity to contribute to the global fashion agenda.”
The summit drew retailers, fashion association leaders, investors and industry people from more than 60 countries. Its business sessions looked at production costs, access to shops and the rules for selling in foreign markets.
Manzini said the cultural mix seen at fashion shows should also be found in everyday shops. He said shoppers should be able to buy clothes that show their local identity.
Opening a shop can cost young designers a lot of money. Getting space in existing stores can help them reach more customers.
Colleen Eitzen, co-founder of the South African retail chain The Space, explained how her company works with independent designers. The chain sells local designers’ collections in its stores and takes a commission on each sale.
Eitzen said live sales data shows designers which styles, colours and sizes are selling. This helps them react faster to what customers want.
Sales staff at The Space get to know their customers. They tell shoppers when new pieces arrive from designers they follow.
Other speakers spoke about the problems small fashion businesses face when they try to export. Brian James Kihindas, director of Nairobi Fashion Week and the Kenya Fashion Council, pointed to the cost of certification.
He also said gathering the production data needed for international trade takes a lot of paperwork. Kihindas proposed more cooperation between countries and regional labs to test products.
He also asked for support to help designers understand the rules of different export markets. He said such help should take the money and staff limits of small businesses into account.
Nana Addo Tamakloe, founder and CEO of Accra Fashion Week in Ghana, spoke about pressure on local clothing makers. He said large imports of second-hand clothes make it hard for local producers to compete on price.
Tamakloe also said designer clothes are mostly affordable only to people with higher incomes.
Other African guests included Mahlet Teklemariam of Ethiopia’s Hub of Africa Fashion Week and Mmantlha Sankoloba of the Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association.
Kalistu Ramos Mukoroli of Namibia’s MTC Windhoek Fashion Week, Rick Anderson of Mauritius Fashion Festival Week and Tery Carola of Seychelles Fashion Week also attended.
Manzini said taking part in the Moscow summit had already helped Soweto Fashion Week build business ties with people and retailers from Brazil and Sri Lanka.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Bizcommunity. Image: Bizcommunity. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.