Kigali Fashion Week has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rwanda Cultural Show to promote the fashion industry.

Under the partnership, the two firms will organise and host fashion shows together, and the partnership will culminate into the launch of the Rwanda Fashion Council in July 2015.

The two fashion firms signed the agreement at Mulindi-Japan One Love premises in Kigali on Monday

As part of the deal, the two firms will have one uniform calendar for all events. Some of the events include the fashion festival in July 2015, Common Wealth fashion calendar (July 15th-18th), Kigali Fashion Week and Rwanda Cultural Fashion show in November 2015, among others.

Speaking at the event, Celestine Ntawirema of Rwanda Cultural Show said the partnership will boost the fashion industry.

"We both have been in fashion for almost three years now and our partnership means that fashion in Rwanda is going to another level,” Ntawirema says.

John Bunyeshuli of Kigali Fashion Week says they will go beyond promoting culture in Rwanda and go international. "Rwanda Fashion will echo throughout fashion cities of the world like New York, London, Paris, etc. We have so far partnered with over 160 boutiques in South Africa,” he told the press.

Bunyeshuli adds that July will be a month of fashion. "We will have a three day fashion festival here (at One Love).The climax will be on July 17 at the Belgian ambassador’s residence.

One Love is also a partner. Its proprietor, Gatera Emmanuel Rudasingwa said that they came on aboard because One Love has benefited from fashion shows.

"We have chosen to offer the venue for all activities of the fashion week because their previous activities helped people with disabilities,” says Rudasingwa.

The event was also attended by Titazu Takere, an Ethiopian fashion promoter. Takere confirmed that Ethiopia will participate in the Rwandan fashion shows. "Ethiopian and Rwandan cultures share a lot in common. We therefore have every reason to be part these events,” he says.