African Fashion Leaders to Explore Global South Collaboration at Moscow BRICS+ Summit
African Fashion Leaders to Explore Global South Collaboration at Moscow BRICS+ Summit. African fashion industry leaders will participate in the fourth BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow from 28 to 30 September 2026, joining discussions on international trade, designer mobility and collaboration across the Global South.
The summit brings together fashion businesses from fast-growing economies. Last season, the event attracted more than 15,000 attendees and delegates from over 60 countries.
Representatives from South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles and South Sudan are included in the 2026 programme.
South Africa will be represented by Stephen Manzini, CEO of Soweto Fashion Week and the South African Fashion Association, and Colleen Eitzen, co-founder of retailer The Space.
The summit is expected to provide opportunities for African brands and manufacturers to engage with fashion businesses from Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Discussions will include potential export opportunities, partnerships and industry exchanges.
Some African participants have already begun exploring connections through the forum. Botswana-based House of Ditso is considering a potential presence in Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States markets, while MTC Windhoek Fashion Week is discussing a possible designer exchange programme with Moscow Fashion Week.
The summit has also supported discussions among African fashion week organisers. Brian James Kihindas, director of Nairobi Fashion Week and a representative of the Kenya Fashion Council, hosted a meeting involving organisers from East, West, Southern and North Africa.
The discussions covered trade, designer mobility, sponsorship, production and access to buyers. Kihindas said the meeting led to a decision to establish a unified umbrella body for African fashion week conveners.
Manzini described the summit as a platform for African creatives to connect with partners beyond the continent and position fashion as both a creative and economic force.
The BRICS+ Fashion Summit will coincide with Moscow Fashion Week, which runs from 26 September to 1 October 2026. The fashion week programme will feature more than 70 runway shows by brands from over 10 countries.
