The global fashion industry is substantially growing, and its value is projected to reach $2 trillion by 2029. However, Africa’s contribution to this growth is relatively modest. Nisha Kanabar has set to increase the continent’s market share with Industrie Africa.
Nisha Kanabar was born in Tanzania and educated at the Parsons School of Design in New York, which is renowned as one of the top fashion schools in the world. After graduating, she worked with prominent names such as American Vogue, Vogue India, and Style.com (now Vogue Arabia), which exposed her to various aspects of fashion, media, and branding.
However, the more she worked, the more she realised that African fashion was scarcely represented in global discussions. While countries like India developed their luxury fashion industries, the situation for Africa was quite different.
After returning to Tanzania in 2016, she observed that the local fashion industry was talented and disconnected. The designs were stunning, and the skill was undeniably present, but there was no robust platform to showcase Africa’s best to the world.
Designers often worked in isolation, facing challenges in scaling their brands beyond local markets. While Western media attempted to offer support, their coverage typically presented a narrow view of African fashion, focusing too much on traditional styles or overly emphasising tribal prints.
Industrie Africa was Kanabar’s way of bringing African fashion together under one roof, making it easier for designers to succeed globally.
Kanabar births Industrie Africa
In 2018, Nisha Kanabar and Georgia Bobley co-founded Industrie Africa, a digital platform connecting African designers with the global fashion market. This platform serves as an ecosystem, enabling designers to share their stories, showcase their craftsmanship, and reveal the inspiration behind their work.
Industrie Africa advocates for slow fashion, ethical production, and locally sourced materials, which align with global sustainability trends. Its online shopping platform also assists featured designers in selling internationally by addressing logistics and payment issues.
It has successfully placed over 80 African designers on the international fashion map. Instead of working separately, the initiative has collaborated with designers from more than 20 African countries, generating more jobs, increasing income, and creating more significant business opportunities for designers.
Notably, the platform was recognised as the Best E-commerce Platform at the 2021 Africa Fashion Awards and received the Innovative Business of the Year award at the 2020 African Excellence Awards.
Market forecast
The African fashion industry is valued at $31 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $73.59 billion in 2025, accounting for about 1.2% of the global fashion market. Despite their potential, African designers still struggle to get the international recognition they deserve. Their designs are often misunderstood and boxed into stereotypes rather than being seen as luxury or high fashion. The industry is further scattered across different countries, making it harder to create a strong, united presence necessary for growth.
