Uganda International Fashion Week Grand Finale Climaxed with Jaw-Dropping Fashion Showcase

What the report says

Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW) has returned after a six-year pause, staging its grand finale on Saturday evening at Kampala Serena Hotel, according to Nile Post. The event featured local and international designers, drew fashion industry figures from Uganda and across East Africa, and was framed around the theme “Fashion for Impact.”

The organisers said the week was meant to do more than present runway looks. UIFW founder and Arapapa Fashion House lead designer Santa Anzo described it as a platform to showcase young Ugandan talent and connect emerging creatives with potential partners, investors, managers and mentors. Dr Ruth Aisha Biyinzika of the GROW Project, one of the partners, said the initiative also highlighted women’s enterprise and the role of business activity in improving livelihoods.

Designers from Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and India presented collections that Nile Post said drew on culture, sustainability and locally available materials. Ugandan participants included Lincoln Axarya, Natasha Rubadiri, Joanita Nabasegera, Dutah Muhangi Bomukama and Abbas Kaijuka, while international names included Hellen Tolbert, Ikpen Yvonne Akwitti, Eunice Blessing, Danayi Madondo, Kwenzi Nkomo and Rahul Singh. The report said all the showcased pieces were sold, suggesting commercial interest in regional fashion.

The finale also emphasized inclusion, with persons with disabilities and refugees involved in modelling, design and photography. Participating models received runway training and mentorship, and one deaf model said the platform had boosted her confidence. Nile Post reported support from the World Bank Group, Bayimba Foundation, the GROW Project, the International Trade Centre, Explore Uganda, Johnnie Walker and Afros & Mo.