Between September 29 and October 7, 2025, Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026 brought the usual spectacle but this season, three African designers made their presence felt at Tranoï, one of the city’s key trade showcases.
Boyedoe from Ghana, Late For Work from Morocco, and Connade from South Africa presented collections through the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, gaining access to the buyers, press, and industry gatekeepers who can make or break a brand’s international expansion.
For emerging designers, Tranoï isn’t just a showroom—it’s a strategic entry point. The platform connects brands with retailers and stylists actively looking to buy, making it essential for designers seeking to scale beyond their home markets.
Creative director David Kusi titled his collection “Manifesto Chapter III: Paradise Regained,” drawing loose inspiration from John Milton’s epic poem. But the reference matters less than the execution: flowing robes paired with structured tailoring, a palette of desert browns and gold, and exposed seams that became deliberate design details.
The aesthetic was restrained, almost monastic, which stood out in a season often dominated by maximalism.
“Paris wasn’t just about showing clothes—it was about showing presence,” Kusi said. “Every piece we create at BOYEDOE carries a part of Ghana—its rhythm, its resilience, its beauty. Through CANEX, we brought that spirit to a global stage.”
There’s a pointed sustainability angle here too. Ghana receives massive amounts of textile waste from Western markets, and Kusi has built his brand around reclaiming and reworking discarded materials. Paradise Regained wasn’t just a conceptual exercise—it was a direct response to that reality.
South African designer Shelley Mokoena’s “Hand in Hand” collection leaned heavily into craft. Handwoven fabrics, floor-sweeping silhouettes, and an earthy palette of ochre and stone created a cohesive, textural story.
The emphasis was on tactility—pieces that looked and felt handmade, with visible construction techniques that foregrounded the labor behind them.
“Participating in Tranoï x CANEX was a grounding experience,” Mokoena said. “To see Connade exist in a global space without needing to explain itself reminded me that African design can speak across cultures while staying true to where it was born.”
The Tranoï exposure gave Mokoena access to international buyers and curators who might not have encountered the brand otherwise. For a designer working in handwoven textiles—an inherently slow, small-batch process—that kind of targeted visibility is critical.
Moroccan designer Youssef Drissi took a different approach with “I’m an Accountant,” a collection that deconstructed corporate dressing with obvious humor.
Blazers slouched off the body, pinstripes went askew, and traditional suiting codes were deliberately broken. It was playful but technically sharp—the kind of irreverence that only works when the tailoring is solid.
“Participating in Tranoï and CANEX has been a major step in connecting with international buyers and expanding the visibility and development of the brand,” Drissi said.
The collection’s wit made it memorable in a market that can feel oversaturated with earnestness. Late For Work proved that humor and rebellion can be commercially viable when backed by strong execution.
Photo credit: Andrea Adriani / GoRunway, Canex Tranoï runway, Paris Fashion Week SS26. Late For Work — “I’m an Accountant” collection
Photo credit: Andrea Adriani / GoRunway, Canex Tranoï runway, Paris Fashion Week SS26. Boyedoe — Paradise Regained collection
Boyedoe, Connade, and Late For Work each brought distinct perspectives—sustainability and restraint, craft and texture, humor and deconstruction. But their collective presence at Tranoï represents something larger: structured access to global fashion infrastructure.
Through CANEX, these designers didn’t just show collections—they built connections with the retailers, stylists, and press who can shift a brand from regional to international. That’s the practical value of programs like this: they create pathways that many African designers have historically struggled to access.
The work now is turning visibility into sales, and platform access into sustained growth. But for one week in Paris, three African brands proved they belong in the conversation—not as novelties, but as serious commercial contenders.
Image Credits:
S/S26 Show for CANEX @creativeafricanexus at @tranoi_show
Creative Direction & Design: Shelley Mokoena @shelleymokoena
Consulting & Styling: Azza Yousif @azza_yousif
Casting & Art Buying: Barbara Blanchard @bb_casting
Key Makeup: Valentine Perrin-Morali @valentine_perrin_morali
Key Hair: Bruno Silvani @bruno.silvani
Music: Label Music So Wonderful @LTIP, @Joniq_Zacheus, @J.Smallz, @Ray_joniq, @ShaldonKopman
Photos: Andrea Adriani / GoRunway @adriani_andrea