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If Benin is well known for its crop of talented contemporary artists such as Romuald Hazoumè or Moufouli Bello, then just wait for its roster of young fashion designers who are carving out a path for themselves on the global stage, starting in their own country. 

While Maureen Ayité has made a name for herself with her international ready-to-wear brand Nanawax, designers and fashion entrepreneurs from the diaspora like Daniel Tohou of Nefer Couture or Rodrigue Vodounou of Goya Paris want to be more intentional with their brands—relocating to their home countries or expanding on the continent.

While clothing is getting its much-deserved attention, bags made in Africa are still severely underrated. 

Below, you’ll find a roundup of brands created by skilled designers with salient points of view on construction and texture. We’ve selected their bags with summer in mind, but we’re sure you’ll reach for them repeatedly each season.

Kayadua Studio 

Led by creative director Eyiwaa Agyekumhene, Kayadua Studio aims to honour the legacy of Ghanaian elders. The Kaya Bag comes in bright orange and is shaped similarly to a Yoruba talking drum.

The African creative industries are on the rise, and thanks to this current era of digital connectivity, e-commerce platforms have become a gateway to discover their power and diversity. Whether you enjoy casually scrolling or you’re a shopping addict, there are several online platforms that proudly present multiple African fashion, design, beauty and lifestyle brands.

Not only will these platforms satisfy all your shopping needs, they are also catalysts for a much grander narrative — the continent’s boundless creativity. With each click, they unveil a vibrant tapestry of fashion, beauty, and artistic expression, revealing the stories of African artisans, designers, and visionaries. Beyond their virtual storefronts, these platforms work to connect global audiences with the profound ingenuity, cultural richness, and savoir-faire that pulse throughout the African continent.

“I really embrace my diverse heritage. My father is Senegalese, and my mother is from Niger. As for me, I was born in Dakar and raised between Montreal and New York City,” says Fatou Alhya Diagne. This introduction from the young cultural and fashion entrepreneur reflects her pride in being part of the 350 million people in the African diaspora – one of the biggest diasporas in the world after China and India. But not just that. In 2020, she created FAD, a platform named after her initials, and the three pillars her initiative focuses on: Fashion, Art, and Development. FAD reflects its founder’s personal and professional identities as it aims to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity. But thinking of FAD as just a brand would be a mistake.

Chanel surprised everyone last year, when they showed their Métiers d’Art 2022/23 collection in Dakar, Senegal. It was the first ever show the French brand has done in sub-Saharan Africa. The move from the storied fashion house could be surprising given the driving forces in the luxury category on the continent which, according to Statista, are South Africa and Nigeria. This year, the two countries boasted $783 million and $459 million in revenue so far in the luxury goods market category. Meanwhile, with almost 17 million inhabitants and $141 million in luxury goods market revenue, Senegal on first glance looks like a relatively small market to dive into.