The colors of culture, creativity and continental pride filled Zaria Court in Kigali on the evening of July 31, as Giants of Africa debuted its first Threads of Africa fashion show.
The showcase, curated by the organization’s creative advisor Ramatu Ujiri, brought together designers and models under the festival’s theme: One Africa, Without Borders. A former model, Ujiri shaped the evening as a celebration of unity through fashion.
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"Threads of Africa was curated in the spirit of coming together to celebrate a borderless Africa,” she said. "Fashion has the unique ability to illustrate cultural backgrounds, which cannot be more beautifully exemplified than in African heritage.”
Hosted by Rwandan entrepreneur Sonia Iraguha, also known as Lady Bicu, the show featured three designers from across the continent: Cameroon’s Hortense Mbea, Niger’s Alia Baré, and Rwandan-South African creative Nyambo Masamara, whose work has appeared on global runways.
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Sixteen original looks were presented by a hand-selected cast led by Hermes Iyele, a past Giants of Africa participant. Each collection carried its own narrative.
Mbea opened the show with Afropian, a collection exploring the relationship between people and nature. Her pieces portrayed confident African men and women in harmony with the environment, drawing from traditional style and shaping it through a modern lens.
Baré followed with West Side Story, a tribute to the resilience of West African communities. Her designs used sustainable materials and patchwork techniques to reflect heritage and renewal, giving shape to stories of perseverance and reinvention.
Masamara closed the show with a collection that echoed the festival’s vision of crossing borders. His blend of Rwandan and South African aesthetics spoke to movement and identity, grounded in cultural roots but shaped by travel and transformation.
The soundscape matched the visual. Performances by Rwandan musicians Alyn Sano and Nel Ngabo added soul to the night, with Nel delivering crowd favorites like Nzahita, Zola and Why.
Then came the unexpected. Nigerian artist Tekno appeared without introduction and closed the night with a surprise set that drew the crowd to its feet.
Threads of Africa brought together innovation, identity and style. From heritage fabrics to eco-conscious materials, the event wove a layered story of African expression.
It also reinforced Kigali’s growing reputation in the fashion and creative arts world.
"I have never seen anything like this in Kigali,” said local stylist Sandrine Uwase. "The fashion, the music, the energy. It felt like Africa was speaking through every stitch on that runway. And seeing Tekno perform after such powerful designs brought everything together.”
"I came for the fashion but left feeling deeply connected to the stories behind each collection,” said Dieudonné Kabera, another attendee. "It wasn’t just about clothes. It was about us, as Africans. The designs were bold, soulful and rooted in tradition. We need more events like this that celebrate African excellence with grace.”