After promoting the local fashion industry and modeling in East Africa and Africa as a whole, Kigali Fashion Week has now headed to Europe. Although, it is three years shy of making a decade, Kigali Fashion Week has become one of the most popular events in Kigali that attracts international and local designers as well as models from around the globe.

According to the CEO, John Bunyeshuri, Kigali Fashion Week Europe was launched in London and Manchester recently.

The launch that attracted over 500 guests was a success in both cities as they used designers and models from the UK.

"Kigali Fashion Week has come a long way. For the people who were around in 2010, they can recall the kind of audience we attracted during our shows.

Today, Rwanda’s diaspora can witness the growth of our image and, it is time we took this to another level, to get more exposure to fashion in Europe,” said Bunyeshuri.

Bunyeshuri added that preparations are going on to have a grand fashion show scheduled to take place in November in Northumberland Hotel in London and Britannia Hotel in Manchester.

He noted that local designers and models will get the chance to expose their creations and skills to a bigger global audience.

"It is our prime vision to develop the local talent in the fashion industry beyond Rwanda. With this show, designers will be able to take their brands further. To a platform where they will market their collections on an international level,” he added.

Bunyeshuri also noted that taking the event to the international stage was away of opening up a larger market for ‘Made in Rwanda’ goods as well as support of the government’s objectives to promote Made in Rwanda. This, he said, was the reason why this year’s theme for the upcoming Kigali Fashion Week Europe event will be "Rwanda exposed”.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw