It\u2019s been a long time coming but many African brands are finally receiving the transformative exposure that they have been deserving of. Yet as brick and mortar foot traffic dwindles in the age of a global pandemic, a limited editorial perspective told by fashion\u2019s current leaders is not enough to substantially move tangible products. Enter a handful of women entrepreneurs who are stepping up to change this daunting challenge, creating innovative digital platforms that get the region\u2019s products out to the masses. These four digital platforms are creating their own authentic stories expressed by the hearts of African designers from around the continent. At Models.com we spoke to these entrepreneurs about brands building momentum during COVID-19, structural challenges African designers face, and the growth the African fashion industry has made by embracing digital. <\/p>\n
Ayaan Mohallim has the first-hand experience of the ins and outs of running a brand with her sister Idyl. After creating their clothing line Mataano<\/a>, which means twins in Somali, they started Ditto Africa<\/a> \u201cafter noticing that for designers from the continent there was a lack of visibility and opportunity in global markets.\u201d Launched in 2018, the e-commerce platform and the digital marketplace carry 50+ brands from over 8 countries throughout Africa, the US, UK, and Turkey. Mohallim expressed that after living in Brooklyn, Somalia, and now Lagos she \u201csees the fashion industry through a new lens, one of reclaiming the African narrative.\u201d Focusing on being a tech company first by using an API enabled platform then, a retailer second, the Mohallims also made it their mission to ensure that their team and investors were 100% Black. Shipping worldwide, they work with stylists and tastemakers to further the platform\u2019s vision of placing the baton into the hands of African artists to tell their own stories. The majority of these designers have trouble logistically and Mohallim helps them by \u201creducing their overheads and eliminating shipping of physical samples while connecting them to consumers worldwide.\u201d The African fashion industry needs to build a larger capacity for production, says Mohallim and Ditto Africa is working on initiatives that will escalate the digitalization of design and manufacturing sustainably. With buzzworthy brands like Orange Culture, Kenneth Ize, and Adama Paris, Mohallim says, \u201cthe designers that we represent are on the same level as brands anywhere else in the world. We don\u2019t need any special favors and we no longer need platforms like Moda Operandi, Matches, Net-A-Porter, or Farfetch. We\u2019ve created a platform that has consistent product photography, a customer service access point, and a flat shipping fee.\u201d <\/p>\n\n