How COVID-19 is impacting the runways of Africa

The fashion industry in Africa is facing significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting the way designers showcase their work and interact with consumers. Barry van Zyl, Head of Henley Africa's Alumni Committee and renowned musician, highlighted the challenges faced by the industry during a recent interview with CNBC Africa. Van Zyl emphasized the impact on fashion shows and events, such as the cancellation of Africa Fashion Week London's 10-year anniversary show which was set to take place in August 2020. In response to these challenges, Henley Business School has collaborated with Africa Fashion Week London and the Parsons School of Design and Technology in New York City to launch 'Fashion Futures,' a virtual training program for emerging African designers focused on entrepreneurship, design, and technology. The shift to online delivery has allowed the program to reach a wider audience across West Africa, South Africa, the Caribbean, and the USA. Van Zyl noted that while the crisis has necessitated a more agile approach to education and training in the fashion industry, it has also presented new opportunities for cost-effective and scalable learning. The virtual delivery of programs like 'Fashion Futures' has reduced the costs traditionally associated with in-person training, making it more accessible to a broader range of participants. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the creative sector in Africa is demonstrating resilience and a strong demand for knowledge and skills development. The shift towards virtual classrooms and hybrid learning models has the potential to revolutionize the way education is delivered in the fashion industry, opening up new possibilities for reaching larger audiences and fostering talent on a global scale.