Retail Event: The best of African fashion is set to return to Paris on 17 June, as CANEX x TRANOÏ presents four emerging designers at the iconic Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann

In recent years, African fashion has evolved from a niche regional industry into a globally recognised creative force, gaining increasing visibility on international runways, in luxury retail spaces and across mainstream popular culture.

Following the success of last year’s AFRICA NOW pop-up at Galeries Lafayette in Paris — which drew praise from both customers and the fashion media — the celebrated department store at 40 Boulevard  Haussmann will once again spotlight fashion talent from across the African continent. 

Running from 17 June to 8 July 2026, the initiative reinforces the iconic Paris-based store’s longstanding cultural ties with Africa and its commitment to championing creativity, innovation and artistic exchange.

For this year’s edition, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is partnering once again with CANEX x TRANOÏ, Adama Paris, and Studio Ka x Africa Fashion Up to curate a selection of designers whose work reflects the diversity and richness of contemporary African fashion. The pop-up aims to highlight how African cultural and artistic heritage continues to shape the global fashion industry and wider society.  

With its spectacular Art Nouveau glass cupola, luxury designer boutiques and expansive rooftop terrace offering panoramic views across Paris, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann provides a fitting and prestigious setting for this celebration of contemporary African fashion.

Launched by African Export-Import Bank in partnership with TRANOÏ, “CANEX Presents Africa” forms part of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, which supports the development of Africa’s creative and cultural industries.

Over the past eight seasons, CANEX has maintained a dedicated presence within TRANOÏ (a leading Paris-based fashion trade show and business platform) during Paris Fashion Week®, giving African designers a high-profile platform to present their collections on the international stage. The initiative is designed to expand global visibility for African brands while also improving access to financing, production, distribution and investment opportunities.

Visitors to the AFRICA NOW pop-up will have the opportunity to discover and purchase pieces from the designers’ Spring/Summer 2026 collections — many of which are unavailable elsewhere in Paris.

Among the featured labels is Late For Work, winner of the 2025 Fashion Trust Arabia Grand Prize. The Moroccan brand is recognised for reinterpreting women’s professional tailoring through structured silhouettes that balance discipline with freedom.

Also taking part is Judy Sanderson, whose collections draw on African, European and Asian influences to create refined and feminine silhouettes.

Kenyan jewellery label We Are NBO will present handcrafted pieces made from recycled materials, combining sustainability with contemporary design.

Completing the line-up is Vanhu Vamwe, which merges Zimbabwean and Ecuadorian cultural influences through ethically crafted luxury bags while supporting the economic empowerment of women in vulnerable communities.

The AFRICA NOW pop-up will run from 17 June to 8 July 2026 at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann in Paris.