Photo by Clint Maliq
African Fashion Foundation Joins the AIDA Awards as Official Sponsor
February 18, 2026The African Fashion Foundation (AFF) has joined the Africa International Design Awards (AIDA Awards) as a sponsor, supporting a shared goal of promoting African design and empowering creative professionals and designers across the continent and its diaspora.
Founded by Roberta Annan, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador for the Creative Economy and internationally recognised business leader, the African Fashion Foundation operates at the intersection of culture, business, and global opportunity. Via strategic partnerships and long-term investment in talent, AFF continues to play an important role in developing Africa’s creative and fashion industries.
Over the years, AFF has built a measurable and valuable impact:
– 24 alumni supported
– 300 lives impacted
– 15 initiatives launched
– $1.3 million in grants dispersed
– 60 careers progressed
Behind these figures stands a devoted team and an influential international advisory network.
Program Director Elisabeth Morzadec, a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London with a Master’s degree in African Development, leads key initiatives including the African Fashion Futures Incubator and the Fashion Industry Retreat. With French and Ghanaian heritage and extensive experience across West Africa’s cultural industries, she brings both academic depth and hands-on insight to AFF’s programming.
On the digital front, Julius Quansah Yankson, Digital Strategist at AFF, leads the foundation’s online presence and community-building efforts, ensuring African talent connects with a worldwide audience.
AFF’s international board further strengthens its reach, including Lupo Lanzara (Deputy Chairman, Accademia Costume & Moda, Italy), Waridi Schrobsdorff (Berlin-based fashion entrepreneur and advocate for African talent), Adenike Adebayo-Makinde (Nigerian lawyer and business leader), and Sara Sozzani Maino (Deputy Director of Vogue Italia and Head of Vogue Talents), widely recognised for supporting emerging designers worldwide.
A Joint Vision: Building Infrastructure for African Creativity
The work of the African Fashion Foundation is structured around three pillars: Convene, Collaborate, and Cultivate. Through these pillars, AFF brings together key industry leaders, encourages cross-sector dialogue, activates lasting ecosystems, honours Africa’s cultural heritage, and supports innovation.
As an official sponsor of the AIDA Awards, AFF contributes more than visibility. The partnership connects two platforms that believe recognition must be accompanied by infrastructure – while awards elevate talent, foundations create long-term pathways.
AIDA Awards, established to become the most comprehensive international design competition dedicated to Africa and its diaspora, provide a continental and global platform for designers working on projects covering spatial, product, communication, and fashion-related disciplines. Through this partnership, designers supported by AFF gain expanded visibility across multiple design sectors, while AIDA Awards strengthen its devotion to sustainable ecosystem development.
Long-Term Capacity Building
Beyond sponsorship, the African Fashion Foundation contributes to the growth of Africa’s creative infrastructure through a portfolio of initiatives and projects:
- African Fashion Futures Incubator – supporting designers in scaling sustainable businesses
- Roberta Annan Scholarship – investing in future leaders in fashion communication and industry practice
- Creative Industry Retreat – addressing value chains and financing across the ecosystem
- Sustainability initiatives such as Recycle, Rework, Reuse
- Collaborative platforms, including the Artisan Hub and Scouting for Africa
Together, these initiatives share a common goal: supporting systemic growth rather than short-term exposure.
For AIDA Awards, this partnership symbolizes an intentional expansion of its mission: to proactively support the future of the African creative economy. While recognition is essential, infrastructure, mentorship, and investment pathways truly help creatives’ careers grow and transform.