IN THE VALLEY 11. What the business of fashion means for Africa | Lulu Shabell, Meron Demisse & Safi Seck in the valley
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Disclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice.
This episode is powered by the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA).
In this episode, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes three champions of African fashion to discuss the potential of the business of fashion in Africa :
- Lulu Shabell is the Founder and Chief Creativity Champion of LuluBell Group
- Meron Demisse is the Founder and CEO of Culture & Conversations on Africa
- Safi Seck is the Founder and Director of the Senegalese fashion label Sarayaa
5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED IN THE VALLEY WITH LULU SHABELL, MERON DEMISSE & SAFI SECK
1.) "Fashion has not until now been looked as relevant for economic development"
Lulu Shabell discusses the untapped potential that fashion and the creative industries at large can represent for Africa's youth. She makes a compelling call for policies, structures, and governance to be put in place to teach young creatives about value chains and how they operate.
2.) "We cannot value brands from countries we've not been exposed to"
Meron Demisse speaks to the intersection between tourism and fashion. She explains how Culture & Conversations in Africa was started as a platform to bridge the knowledge gap that we as Africans have about one another. She strongly believes that Intra-African tourism is a powerful tool to leverage to increase the value and recognition of African fashion brands.
3.) "I am an economist who became a fashion designer"
Safi Seck explains how her journey led her from being an economist to starting her own fashion label. She shares why her understanding of macroeconomics trends actually influenced how she structured her business.
4.) "Tech can help us find balance between growing our African fashion industry and sustainability goals"
Lulu highlights the risks and opportunities as our cultural and natural heritage are helping produce major fashion businesses. She advocates for tech to not be separated from decisions made around the structuring of Africa's fashion industry : to her, innovation will be pivotal in developing an industry that is sustainable.
5.) "We want Africa's creative capital to be recognized."
Meron reflects on the definition of African identities. She notes that being African has often been defined from an external perspective : today she calls for Africans to be more in tune with their identities for themselves and recognize the rich cultural heritage that comes alongside such identity.