Beyond the Runway: Building Global Pathways for African Creatives

Beyond the Runway: Building Global Pathways for African Creatives

This conversation takes place as part of The Cotton Road, an exhibition program hosted by the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) at 10 Corso Como from September 25-28.

As African creatives gain greater visibility on the global stage, the question is no longer only one of representation, but of ownership, authorship, and long-term influence. Beyond the Runway: Building Global Pathways for African Creatives brings together leading voices in design, art, and cultural entrepreneurship to explore how African and diasporic talent is reshaping the global fashion system on its own terms.

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Moderated by Teneshia Carr, founder and editor-in-chief of Blanc Magazine, the conversation will examine the role of design as infrastructure – from building media platforms and cultural institutions to creating ecosystems that sustain creative work. It will also consider what it takes for African creatives not just to be seen, but to own their narratives, their platforms, and their intellectual property.

Joining the conversation are Richmond Orlando Mensah, Ghanaian scenographer and founder of Manju Journal and Manju Studios, whose work has grown from an online showcase of African creativity into a globally recognized cultural platform; Michelle Francine Ngonmo, founder of the Afro Fashion Association and the Black Carpet Awards, who has been at the forefront of building bridges between African fashion hubs and global capitals like Milan and Paris; Edward Buchanan, Milan-based designer and founder of knitwear label Sansovino 6, whose career spans from directing at Bottega Veneta to mentoring emerging BIPOC creatives; and Damien Ajavon, an Afropean textile artist of Senegalese and Togolese heritage whose tactile, hand-crafted works merge African craftsmanship with diasporic and queer perspectives.

Together, these speakers represent a generation of visionaries who are expanding the reach of African creativity beyond the runway and into new global pathways. This roundtable offers an opportunity to reflect on the cultural, institutional, and economic shifts underway, and to imagine a more equitable and inclusive future for fashion.

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ABOUT

EFI is a program of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Its mission is to connect artisans and micro-producers in emerging economies with the global fashion industry, creating supply chains that are fair, inclusive, and environmentally responsible. In West Africa, EFI specializes in traditional and sustainable textile practices, from organic cotton and handwoven cloth to mud cloth, indigo dyeing, batik, and tie-dye, combining natural dyes with contemporary production to preserve heritage while fostering innovation.

In West Africa, EFI is supported by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) under the ACP–Business Friendly Programme.

10 Corso Como, Milan

Thursday, September 26

Doors open: 2:30 PM / Event begins: 3:00 PM

Free entry | RSVP required

(The roundtable is in english.)