October 08, (THEWILL) – The French Embassy in Nigeria has announced the public launch of Lagos x Paris Fashion and Design Accelerator, a nine-month programme (from October 2023 to June 2024) aimed towards supporting 10 high-potential Nigerian brands within the fashion and design ecosystem. The Accelerator emphasises close mentorship, creativity, reinforcement of business literacy and guidance for emerging Nigerian creatives and their teams in navigating the French and global fashion industry.
Through this platform, the French Embassy in Nigeria aims at celebrating Nigerian creativity and cultural preservation initiatives, sustainable practices and cross-cultural collaborations, while giving the tools and skills for creatives to build long- lasting and incremental financial growth for their company.
The aim of this programme is not only to strengthen the entrepreneurial skills of 10 Nigerian brands, but also to support their export opportunities to France by participating in key events. The programme has been thought in collaboration with several remarkable fashion and design stakeholders and its curriculum, which combines group and individual training, mentoring and master classes (over 120 hours per brand), has been defined in conjunction with renowned French and African experts and the Nigerian incubator for creative industry, CCHUB. However, the laureate brands are considered in their singularity with a tailored accompaniment.
The Accelerator will also close off with professional travels to Paris, designed to immerse the selected brands in the world capital of fashion via unique access to key industry players and events.
The Accelerator will comprise of physical tailored 1 on 1 courses on a broad range of subjects, with actual deliverables and tools; monthly mentorship sessions; high-level masterclasses; and direct and indirect grants.
However, others are investment readiness modules with pitching sessions to investors as well as support to participate in a French prescriptive event in 2024.
The 10 brands selected for this 2023-2024 cohort, amongst more than 120 applications are for fashion: Lagos Space Programme, TJWHO Design, Obida, Eki Kere, ELEXIAY and WAF – Wafflesandcream Limited. For Accessories: Malika and Ethnic Africa. For Design: Omi Collective et Aga Design and Culture Limited.
The Lagos x Paris Fashion and Design Accelerator s part of a global programme announced by the French President, Emmanuel Macron in February 2023, called “Création Africa”. This programme’s aim is to increase support and resources to the French diplomatic network and its action toward the global ecosystem of creative and cultural industries.
The official launch of this initiative, which will take place in in Paris with a tremendous event to be held from October 6 to 8, 2023 with dozens of talents from the worlds of animation, video games and cinema being showcased. A strong Nigerian delegation will attend.
As of such, the Embassy of France in Nigeria operates since June 2023 a €1.2 million fund to support entrepreneurs in the Nigerian cultural and creative industries in the fields of design, fashion, video games, audiovisuals and dance. The Lagos x Paris Fashion and Design Accelerator is financed via this grant.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
