Featuring:

Korto Momolu

One of the most enthralling young designers for RUNWAY AFRICA is Project Runway Season 5 First Runner-Up and Fan Favorite Korto Momolu. Originally from Liberia, Korto moved to Canada to attend fashion school. After school, she moved outside of Little Rock, Arkansas, where she now resides with her husband and daughter. Drawing from her African roots, Korto infuses tribal details into her classic designs. She is inspired by rich fabrics and textures and says her designs are intended for real, full-figured women. In her spare time, Korto works as a freelance fashion photographer, dances in an African dance troupe and does African hair braiding and makeup.

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Lalesso

Encapsulating the pure spirit of easy living, the Lalesso Collection echoes a classic simplicity with accents of frill, gathers, pocket, and button detailing. And the beautiful silk fabric provides a glamorous and chic element that radiates luxury and comfort. Lalesso was started in 2004 by co-creators Olivia Kennaway and Alice Heusser, while they were at design school in Cape Town. The inspiration for the brand came while on vacation visiting Olivia’s home country of Kenya. The vision came from the traditional ‘uniform’ of the local women in these coastal regions. It was the captivatingly beautiful ‘khanga’ or ‘lesso’, of the intrinsic patterns and vibrant colors that grabbed their attention. The ideology behind the line was centered on transforming the beautiful pieces of East African heritage into some stylish, fun, and current/trendy designs.

All garments are manufactured in Kenya in Lalesso’s new SOKO plant. Lalesso works with up to 50 tailors who are all paid an above average rate for their work and Lalesso employs a very strict ethical policy to provide an improved quality of living for all persons involved.

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Modahnik

Modahnik is a unique contemporary women’s fashion line heavily influenced by both the Western modern world and the more ethnic African aesthetic. Kahindo Mateene is the Designer and Founder of Modahnik. Hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo(formerly Zaire), she now lives in Chicago, IL. Mateene uses the colorful African print fabric as the main focus adding feminine details to design sophisticated and contemporary silhouettes that accentuate a woman's curves. She promises that her designs "will not only complement your wardrobe but this unique juxtaposition adds an exciting and highly stylized fashion flair for the sexy modern and sophisticated chic woman." Modahnik is a socially conscious clothing line that incorporates fair trade practices in Africa.

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Mami Afrika

Designer Wawi Amasha wants to change the way people think about African fashion, offering designs that still represent the African tradition but with a modern twist. These designs are fun, funky, and fabulous. They are to be enjoyed by women from all walks of life, especially those not afraid of color.

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Clad Nine/Nairobi Wear

Clad Nine Clothing is an urban fashion clothing line, with sophisticated apparel for the modern man, and lady. They are "The New Phase of Urban Fashion" with "A Royal Touch."

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Mekdi Design

Ethiopian Designer, Mekdes Tefera Taye designed her first collection and held her first show at the age of 14. She has participated in more then 30 different fashion shows and has shown her collections to raise awareness for different humanitarian causes including child orphans of HIV, Ethiopian Women Association, International peace day and more. She designed garments for Miss Ethiopia world (2007/2009) and the Miss tourism Ethiopia 2008 top 20 contestants. Most recently she worked as the costume designer for Ethiopia’s biggest movie “The Return of Grace” which involved
designing 1061 items of clothing. The movie is expected to premiere in the coming year.

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Embrace-U Design

Grace Crawford has had an eye for fashion for as long ashe can remember. Now, a teacher by day, Crawford makes time to create her passion. She says, "Overtime, I realized I could use my talent to empower women by designing jewelry and clothing that celebrate their individual beauties – internal and exterior. It is in this context that EMBRACE-U was conceived. EMBRACE-U jewelry and clothing collection emphasizes individuality, independence and confidence; in essence, it’s all about you. My passion for designing jewelry and clothing comes from the encouragement I received from my mother while growing up in Lofa County, Liberia, West Africa."

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Ariel Simone