The Fashion Law Institute Joins the AIDA Awards to Support African Designers Through Legal Expertise
March 4, 2026The Fashion Law Institute (FLI) has joined the Africa International Design Awards as a partner, supporting a shared goal of strengthening the professional infrastructure surrounding African design and empowering creative professionals and designers across the continent and its diaspora.
Founded in 2010 by Professor Susan Scafidi, the Fashion Law Institute is the world’s first center dedicated to the intersection of law and the business of fashion. Based at Fordham Law School in New York and created with the support of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and designer Diane von Furstenberg, the institute has played a pioneering role in defining and advancing the field of fashion law globally.
As a nonprofit organization, the institute focuses on education, legal services, and thought leadership addressing the complex legal issues facing designers and creative businesses today. Through its programs, the Fashion Law Institute provides training for legal and business professionals, offers guidance for designers and industry stakeholders, and contributes practical expertise on topics ranging from intellectual property protection and contracts to global trade and regulation within the creative industries.
A Shared Vision: Building Strong Foundations for African Creativity
The collaboration between the Fashion Law Institute and the AIDA Awards reflects a shared belief that creative excellence must be supported by strong professional frameworks. While awards celebrate talent and innovation, legal literacy and access to professional expertise are essential for designers seeking to protect their work and build sustainable creative businesses.
Across Africa and its diaspora, designers are producing work that merges cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and contemporary design thinking. As these creators increasingly engage with global markets, understanding intellectual property rights, licensing structures, contracts, and brand protection becomes a key factor in maintaining ownership and creating long-term value.
Through this partnership, the Fashion Law Institute contributes its expertise to the AIDA Awards ecosystem, helping strengthen the legal awareness and professional readiness of emerging and established designers alike.
Strengthening the Creative Ecosystem
Beyond partnership visibility, the Fashion Law Institute will contribute to the growth of Africa’s creative infrastructure through dedicated legal expertise and educational initiatives.
Key contributions include:
Onboarding and advisory services for awarded designers across all major AIDA Awards categories through FLI’s legal network across the African continent
Legal guidance on intellectual property, licensing, contracts, and brand protection, helping designers navigate the professional aspects of building a creative business
Pro bono legal services for selected award recipients at critical stages of their development
An educational masterclass exploring Afrocentric perspectives in intellectual property law, tailored specifically for AIDA Awards winners and recipients
Together, these initiatives aim to strengthen designers’ understanding of the legal frameworks that shape today’s global creative industries. By combining recognition with access to legal expertise, the partnership helps designers better protect their intellectual property and approach the growth of their creative practice with greater confidence.
For the AIDA Awards, this collaboration adds an important dimension to its mission of supporting African design. While the awards highlight outstanding work across disciplines, partnerships such as this help ensure that designers are equipped with the professional knowledge needed to navigate international markets and safeguard the long-term value of their ideas.