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Birimian and IFM select finalists for accelerator program

By Andrea Byrne

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Investment company Birimian and Paris-based fashion school Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) have announced the finalists selected for its first call for IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa, an acceleration program designed for rising African heritage fashion brands.

In June, the launch of IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa was announced.

The ten finalists selected were Christie Brown, Kente Gentlemen, Loza Maléombho, Mille Collines, Mmuso Maxwell, Post Imperial, Rich Mnisi, Shekudo, This Is Us and Umòja. These designers will be supported by the program and they will be offered tailor-made advice on how to help develop their business by a team of experts.

Additionally, the selectees will be featured at the Première Classe event as part of Paris Fashion Week (PFW) on October 1–4, organised by WSN.

CEO of Birimian, Laureen Kouassi-Olsson, said in a statement: “The class of designers invited to join the IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa program embody the new creative African guard: reinvented tradition, undeniable creative talent, Afropolitan, urban, and digitally focused on the world, proudly showcasing their heritage through collections whose originality no longer needs to be proven.”

Thomas Delattre, director of the fashion entrepreneurship centre at Institut Français de la Mode, added: “The ten brands selected for this first intake of the IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa are full of creative talent and ambition for their development. The designers and entrepreneurs will work on all the components of their brand with the objective of not only boosting their reputation but also developing sustainable businesses in an international ecosystem while preserving their African heritage.

Photo credit: Benoit Bethume & Estelle Hanania, Institut Français de la Mode

African Fashion
Birimian
Institut Francais de la Mode
PFW
WSN