Some of the designs showcased at the Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show 2018 in Kigali. Courtesy.

Canada-based African Fashion and arts Movement (AFAM) and Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show (RCFS) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote African fashion, and arts and to create public awareness of the talent and quality designs in both Canada and Africa.

The partnership seeks to explore areas of potential collaboration across different disciplines and projects including, collaborating between the two firms by exchanging skills in event management, and exchanging technical support such as trainings for African models and African fashion designers.

Both parties also agreed to help and support African designers to participate in African fashion and arts movement in Vancouver, Canada and also develop opportunities for African artists, including fashion designers, runway and photogenic models, photographers, cultural and traditional dancers, and tailors.

Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show made six years this year.

Celestin Ntawirema, the CEO of Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show, revealed that the show was able to attract the western audiences and that is how the Canadian firm decided to partner with them to make the event better.

“The fashion industry in Rwanda is still on the move and this partnership will promote Made-in-Rwanda at the international level. Also, fashion designers and models will attend the show and will meet other people since they will have an international stage,” he said.

AFAM is an organisation dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for young Africans and improving global understanding of Africa. AFAM Vancouver focused effort on shifting the narratives about Africa and the African diaspora to improve the quality of information available and challenge monolithic and anachronism stereotypes.

RCFS is a forum for local and international cultural fashion designers, to showcase their designs. It is an exchange of fashion, lifestyles and art by emerging and established fashion designers. It brings together fashion designers, policy makers and consumers. AFAM shows feature modern African designs such as kitenge, (African print), batik, and other creative works by African designers.

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