Young designers display their best work on the Africa on Trend platform
The Africa on Trend initiative, at Northgate Shopping Centre, highlighted young designers, celebrating African creativity while offering real industry opportunities through exhibitions, mentorship, and an educational bursary.
Northgate Shopping Centre recently shone a spotlight on African creativity through its Africa on Trend initiative, a showcase designed to uplift young designers and celebrate the continent’s rich cultural identity.
The project highlighted African-inspired fashion, design, and innovation, giving emerging designers a platform to share their stories through bold and original work. The initiative was developed in partnership with Stadio Higher Education and Queen B Couture, with a strong focus on education, empowerment, and real industry exposure.
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As part of the programme, participants competed for a one-month apprenticeship with Queen B Couture, and an R15 000 educational bursary, sponsored by Northgate. These opportunities were created to help young designers move closer to professional careers in the fashion industry.
Pierre le Roux-du Pisani, representing Stadio Higher Education, said the platform had made a real impact.
“The exposure our students gained through this initiative is invaluable, and the R15 000 bursary prize makes a meaningful difference. Partnerships like this help bridge the gap between emerging designers and the fashion industry.
We’re proud to see Northgate championing the next generation of creative talent.”
A key feature of the initiative was an in-centre fashion exhibition, where garments from all participating designers were displayed.
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Each piece stood out for its individuality, offering a cohesive celebration of African creativity. Retailers at Northgate supported the exhibition by supplying mannequins, displays, and content-creation assistance, showing strong community involvement throughout the project.
The response from shoppers and participants was very positive, with many praising the quality of work and the creativity on show.
Africa on Trend not only celebrated fashion; it encouraged young designers to embrace their heritage, and see fashion as a promising career path.
Northgate Shopping Centre hopes to grow the initiative in the future through more partnerships, mentorship programmes, and digital showcases aimed at connecting local talent with wider audiences.
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