Yefikir Design

Ethiopia

Using traditional handwoven cotton fabric to create her eye-catching designs, Fikirte Addis founder Yefikir Addis unites comfort and style without sacrificing the rich heritage of Ethiopian weaving. Her collection is handwoven from local materials by local weavers who benefit from the brand’s commitment to fairly traded products. Through her brand, Yefikir has also championed child labor–free production in conjunction with Ethiopia’s Fashion Design Association and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Yefikir Design took part in Africa Fashion Week in New York (AFWNY) 2015.

Lem Lem

Ethiopia

An Ethiopian clothing line founded by supermodel, actress and philanthropist Liya Kebede, Lem Lem — which means “to bloom” in Amharic — uses locally sourced, handwoven fabric to create apparel for women and children. Last year Lem Lem extended its production to Kenya for the brand’s crochet, silk and jersey collection, all part of its vision to expand across the continent so as to bring more of the beauty of African manufactured products to the fore. The brand’s clothing can be found online on Net-A-Porter and in retail stores such as Barney’s and J. Crew.