For Immediate Release
Adiat Disu, the founder of AFWNY and Adirée, brought back two talents to participate in
Africa fashion Week New York 2012 from the USAID COMPETE sponsored Origin Africa
New York, NY –June 14, 2012—From April 23-28, 2012, Adiat Disu, Adirée President and Director of Africa Fashion Week New York, was invited as a guest judge in Ethiopia’s “The Hub of Africa Fashion week” and Origin Africa Fashion Showcase. Ethiopian designer Malet Afework of Mafi was selected and won an invite to showcase at AFWNY 2012. Another Ethiopian designer, Fikirte Addisu, was given an extended invitation to the event as well.
With an expected 600 guests and over 100 exhibitors from various parts of fashion industry, The Hub of Africa Fashion Week set waves across the African Fashion industry and surely caught global attention. Over 30 designers across the continent participated in the showcase and competed for the invite to AFWNY 2012. After careful evaluations with other judges, Disu presented the award to Mafi—a streetwise, sassy collection of urban sportswear. Later on, Disu invited Fikirte Addisu back to AFWNY based on the overwhelming feedback that the designer received last year. The partnership between USAID/COMPETE and Adirée, creates opportunities for designers to raise awareness about their brands and become more competitive in the international marketplace.
Berry Fisher, a fiber/textile/apparel specialist of COMPETE stated, “As the lion economy awakes, global investors know that it is time to start learning about Africa. Origin Africa represents a powerful trend in social entrepreneurship and empowerment and is helping to make Africa the new frontier for business.”
AFWNY features runway shows hosting 21+ designers from various countries in Africa and those of the African Diaspora. The week will include exhibitions, and industry networking events. Opening designer Francis Hendy and designers like Mafi, Attolle Collection, Geraldo Fashions and others will showcase.
For more information, visit www.afwny.com.
About Adirée:
Adirée, based in NYC, NY, focuses on event production, organization, and consulting for small to medium size clients in the areas of Fashion, Art, and Culture.
About USAID/COMPETE:
USAID/COMPETE is the US Agency for International Development’s regional program that is working to improve trade in East and Central Africa.
For More Information Contact:
Adirée │Public Relations
Maia Butler
pr@adiree.com
www.adiree.com
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