As part of the British Council’s Creative DNA programme, local fashion house Ometsey showcased its design collections at the Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2025 at Space House, London.
Founded in 2017 by Darkwaa Edna, Ometsey is a contemporary women’s wear brand based in Ghana. Darkwaa’s designs embody the aesthetics of clean cuts, impeccable finishing and rare details with a minimal twist.
This international showcase featured a dedicated British Council catwalk presentation and an exhibition pavilion, spotlighting some of Africa’s most innovative emerging designers. The initiative provided these designers with new international connections and access to new markets, while also creating opportunities for cross-cultural learning, collaboration, and business growth.
Ometsey was joined by nine other designers from Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
All designers are alumni or current participants of the Creative DNA fashion accelerator programme, a flagship initiative of the British Council’s creative economy portfolio in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2020, it has supported over 200 fashion entrepreneurs across Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Malawi through mentorship, business development, and showcasing opportunities.
The programme is designed to strengthen creative enterprises, foster inclusion, and build international connections between Africa and the UK.
In addition to the runway and exhibition, the designers will join business clinics and panel discussions with UK fashion experts and facilitators from Westminster University and the Fashion Retail Academy as well as participate in retail and manufacturing ecosystem tours across London, offering them direct insights into ethical production practices, global fashion standards, and the dynamics of the international retail market.
The cultural exchange component of the engagement provides designers a unique opportunity to explore the UK’s fashion ecosystem, encompassing supplier networks, sustainability models, and retail partnerships.
This year’s British Council Pavilion also looks ahead to the future of fashion, showcasing where fashion meets technology. The exhibition showcased the work of African designers and fashion weeks that are collaborating with AI labs and robotics engineers to explore tech-enabled storytelling and virtual reality runways on digital avatars, paving the way for cross-continental virtual fashion presentations.
Farai Ncube Tarwireyi, Regional Arts Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, British Council highlighted that, ‘Africa’s fashion industry holds immense potential. It is estimated that it could generate over $15 billion in revenue by 2025 and create millions of jobs across the continent. But to truly unlock that potential, emerging designers need access to markets, visibility, and global networks. Africa Fashion Week London offers a powerful platform for just that. Through our Creative DNA programme, the British Council is proud to support a new generation of fashion entrepreneurs as they connect with international audiences, explore new opportunities, and shape the future of fashion on their own terms.’
The engagement reflects the British Council’s ongoing commitment to placing creativity, cultural exchange, and enterprise at the centre of inclusive and sustainable growth across Africa and the UK.
