Afro Fashion Association

What Afro Fashion Association does

Afro Fashion Association (AFA) is a Black-led, volunteer-driven non-profit organization founded in Milan, Italy in 2015 by Michelle Francine Ngonmo. Its mission is to advance diversity and inclusion in fashion, art, and culture through talent cultivation, world-class events, and educational programming primarily targeting Afro-descendant and BIPOC designers based in Italy and increasingly across Africa. The organization operates across four countries through its Milan headquarters and offices in Douala (Cameroon, opened 2017), Kigali (Rwanda, 2023), and Accra (Ghana, 2023).

AFA's core product portfolio is event- and platform-centric rather than software-centric. Flagship programming includes Afro Fashion Week Milano, held twice yearly in conjunction with Milan Fashion Week, and the Black Carpet Awards annual gala launched in 2023. Talent infrastructure is anchored on The Unseen Profiles, Italy's first job posting platform for BIPOC creative professionals (launched 2022) with 3,000+ profiles, and the Fab 5 mentorship and showcase program, which in 2021 became the first dedicated Afro fashion showcase listed in the official Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana calendar. Supporting programs include the We Are Made in Italy (WAMI) coalition with Stella Jean and Edward Buchanan, the Les petits métiers vocational training program in Cameroon (co-financed by the International Organization for Migration), the Second Chance Bag social enterprise, and limited-edition archive sales with 100% of proceeds directed to BIPOC designers.

AFA monetizes through a hybrid mix of small recurring and project-based revenue streams: 80+ organizational membership dues, multi-tier DEI consulting packages (Warmup one-time, Deep Dive and Change Year multi-year contracts), speaking engagements featuring the founder, ticket and sponsorship revenue from flagship events, donations, and e-commerce via its archive sale shop. Distribution is event-driven combined with direct enterprise sales of consulting, supported by recurring media coverage in Vogue Italia, Forbes, and Corriere della Sera plus institutional partnerships with Levi's, Apple Creative Studios, Trussardi, and Vogue Italia. The founder received the Activism award at the inaugural Bulgari B.zero1 Aurora Awards in 2023.

Name

Afro Fashion Association

Legal name

Afro Fashion Association

Website

https://afrofashion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Industry Diversity & Inclusion Services

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail (CRAAABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fashion & Accessories Marketplaces (CRAFABAA), Fashion Accessories Manufacturing (Hair Accessories/Headbands/Clips) (IMAOAFAF)

Keywords

• Fashion industry advocacy
• Diversity and inclusion consulting
• BIPOC designer mentorship
• Non-profit fashion events
• Diverse talent recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Revenue from organization membership, with more than 80 members paying dues.
2. DEI Consulting & Training: Consulting services, strategy development, inclusive communication, people strategy, and certifications offered to organizations seeking to develop inclusive corporate culture. Packages include Warmup (2-hour meeting), Deep Dive (5 sessions), and Change Year (12 monthly sessions).
3. Speaking Engagements: Keynote and speaking services featuring founder Michelle Francine Ngonmo on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics at corporate and educational events.
4. Events & Tickets: Revenue from ticketed events including Afro Fashion Week Milano, the Black Carpet Awards gala, and other fashion events.
5. Archive Sales: Sale of limited-edition fashion pieces from legacy collection, with 100% of proceeds supporting BIPOC designers in the community.
6. Donations & Fundraising: Donations received to support the organization's mission of advancing diversity and inclusion in fashion through grants and individual contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Afro Fashion Association is a non-profit organization that advances diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fashion industry by running flagship events (Afro Fashion Week Milano and the Black Carpet Awards), operating The Unseen Profiles BIPOC recruitment platform, providing DEI consulting and training to companies, and delivering designer mentorship, education programs, and talent showcases in Italy, Cameroon, Ghana, and Rwanda.

Product overview

The Afro Fashion Association operates a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on advancing diversity and inclusion in fashion. The core offerings include Afro Fashion Week Milano (flagship annual fashion event), the Black Carpet Awards (annual global inclusion awards), and The Unseen Profiles (job platform with 3000+ BIPOC professionals). Supporting programs include Fab 5 mentorship, DEI Consulting services, Voices of Denim cultural project, Second Chance Bag social enterprise, Apple Creative Studios workshops, and Les petits métiers training. The organization also produces Afro Walk events, Meet Our Designers trade shows, and We Are Made in Italy (WAMI) advocacy coalition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Afro Fashion Week Milano (AFWM) Bi-annual flagship event during Milan Fashion Week featuring runway shows, exhibitions, and social events that give emerging Afro-descendant and Afro-inspired designers visibility with buyers, press, and industry professionals.
• Black Carpet Awards Annual global awards gala celebrating achievements in diversity and inclusion across fashion, design, art, food, music, technology, business, sport, and cinema, with second edition adding the inaugural Virgil Abloh Award.
• The Unseen Profiles Italy's first job posting platform connecting companies with 3,000+ BIPOC professional profiles for talent recruitment in fashion, arts, design, and creative industries.
• DEI Consulting & Training DEI consulting and training services for organizations, including strategy development, inclusive communication, people strategy, certifications, and speaking engagements, delivered via tiered packages (Warmup, Deep Dive, Change Year) and online formats.
• Fab 5 Designer Mentorship Program Talent scouting and mentorship program for Afro-descendant designers offering showroom access, production ecosystem support, and an annual showcase at Milan Fashion Week, including the Bridge Builders International initiative.
• Les petits métiers Training Program Training program for young Cameroonians in fashion professions including sewing, pattern making, drawing, draping, beading, design, business management, and embroidery, with cooperative establishment for career development.
• Afro Walk Annual pop-up event in Milan bringing Afro fashion to public squares (Piazza Duomo) to promote multiculturalism, empowerment, inclusion, and the fight against discrimination.
• Meet Our Designers Trade show events connecting buyers, industry specialists, and retailers directly with up-and-coming Afro-descendant and Afro-inspired designers.
• Voices of Denim (Levi's x AFA) Multidisciplinary cultural project bringing together 30 emerging BIPOC creatives across fashion, photography, styling, visual arts, writing, film, modelling, and beauty to explore denim as a living cultural language shaped by memory, movement, labour, migration, resistance, and self-expression.
• We Are Made in Italy (WAMI) Industry coalition co-founded with Stella Jean and Edward Buchanan to fight racism and discrimination from within the Italian fashion industry and promote concrete inclusion of BIPOC designers.
• Second Chance Bag Sustainable social-enterprise project providing mentorship and job opportunities to women formerly incarcerated in Cameroon, transforming discarded plastic bags into handcrafted accessories through the Ngrafi Cooperative.
• Apple Creative Studios (Milan) Workshops, talks, meetups, and portfolio reviews focused on identity, belonging, mental health, and creative industry skills for emerging talents in Milano, delivered in partnership with Apple at Apple Piazza Liberty.
• Black History Month Archive Sale Annual e-commerce sale of limited-edition fashion pieces from the legacy collection during Black History Month at shop.afrofashion.org, with 100% of proceeds supporting BIPOC designers and each purchase accompanied by a Certificate of Purchase documenting the designer's story.
• ¡GloLoCo! Exhibition Exhibition at Palazzo Morando during September 2023 Milan Fashion Week, showcasing fashion, technology, and sustainable design through AR try-on experiences (with SPIN.FASHION), digital fashion customization (with GN3RA), and metaverse experiences featuring five emerging BIPOC designers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 of 10 talents secured collaborations from 2025 Communities at Work event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Levi'sflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 February 2026Yearlong partnership 'Levi's x AFA Voices in Denim' involving 30 Black, Indigenous and people of color creatives based in Italy to reinterpret Levi's heritage through a collective project to be presented at Milan Fashion Week in September. The Voices of Denim project explores denim beyond fashion as a living cultural language shaped by memory, movement, labour, migration, resistance and self-expression.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Co-financier of 'Les petits métiers' initiative under A.MI.CO. Grants 2024 initiative with support of Italian Development Cooperation. Project improves employment opportunities for 30 young Cameroonians in fashion sector through comprehensive training.
• Apple Creative StudioscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2023Partnership providing creative programming with space and voice to emerging talents throughout Milan. From September to December 2023, sessions covered themes of identity, belonging and mental health through talks, workshops, and networking events at Apple Piazza Liberty.
• MODEScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2023Partnership on job placement and mentorship program placing BIPOC designers into positions within the sales industry. MODES Milano also hosts Afro Fashion designer showcases during Milan Fashion Week, featuring emerging BIPOC designers in Italy.
• Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAMI (We Are Made in Italy) initiative earned support from CNMI President Carlo Capasa. CNMI provided mentoring to POC fashion students and seed support for The Unseen Profiles database. Fab 5 Bridge Builders became first dedicated Afro fashion showcase listed in official CNMI calendar at Milan Fashion Week.
• Vogue ItaliacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner and supporter; featured in regular Vogue Italia coverage including Black Carpet Awards, Virgil Abloh tribute, designer profiles, and event calendars. Made possible with support of Vogue Italia for Black Carpet Awards.
• TrussardisupportingOthersSustaining partner and sponsor contributing to Afro Fashion Association events and initiatives.
• LABA Douala Free Academy of Fine ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for fashion showcases, courses, and workshops for students and emerging professionals in Cameroon. Collaborated on metaverse exhibition 'Tracing identities through fashion photography' and Les petits métiers training program.
• Accademia del LussosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner and sponsor supporting Afro Fashion Association events and educational initiatives.
• Sansovino6supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner and sponsor; Edward Buchanan of Sansovino6 is co-founder of WAMI initiative alongside Michelle Francine Ngonmo.
• Stella JeanflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of WAMI (We Are Made in Italy) initiative alongside Edward Buchanan and Michelle Francine Ngonmo. The initiative fights for concrete inclusion of BIPOC designers in Italian fashion.
• Condé NastsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner contributing to Afro Fashion Association's world-class events and educational initiatives.
• Comune di MilanosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent partner providing support for Afro Fashion Association events and initiatives in Milan.
• Festival DiverCitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent partner collaborating on Afro Walk production with volunteers. Festival DiverCity promotes emerging designers at Base Milano during Design Week.
• Fondazione AurorasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating organization on 'Les petits métiers' initiative and metaverse fashion photography exhibition 'Tracing identities through fashion photography'.
• Red-Eye MetazinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner for ¡GloLoCo! exhibition at Palazzo Morando during September 2023 Milan Fashion Week, curating digital content alongside emerging BIPOC designer collections.
• SPIN.FASHIONsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for AR try-on experiences during September 2023 Milan Fashion Week, allowing public to try on featured designer looks in augmented reality.
• GN3RAsupportingTechnology or IntegrationDigital fashion platform partner enabling public to remix featured collections during September 2023 Milan Fashion Week through digital fashion platform.
• Palazzo MorandosupportingOthersMilan fashion museum venue hosting ¡GloLoCo! exhibition featuring five emerging BIPOC designers alongside digital content during September 2023 Milan Fashion Week.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• British Fashion Council: The UK fashion industry body supporting London Fashion Week, designer education, and emerging talent programs such as the BFC Foundation. Comparable to AFA in its fashion industry talent cultivation role but serving the UK market with a broader, non-BIPOC-specific mandate.
• Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM): The French fashion federation governing Paris Fashion Week and supporting French designer talent. Comparable to AFA as a major European fashion industry body, although focused on the French market and not BIPOC-specific.

Broad incumbents

• Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI): The Italian fashion industry body that governs the Milan Fashion Week official calendar and is a strategic partner of Afro Fashion Association. Comparable as the governing fashion industry association hosting AFA's Fab 5 Bridge Builders showcase, although broader in scope and not BIPOC-specific.
• Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): The leading US trade association for fashion designers, providing industry support, education, and advocacy through programs like the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Comparable to AFA in its fashion industry association role, but operates at much larger scale and is not BIPOC-specific.

Direct peers

• Harlem's Fashion Row: A US-based nonprofit organization that supports designers of color through runway showcases, mentorship, and brand partnerships (e.g., with major fashion houses during New York Fashion Week). Directly comparable in mission, BIPOC designer focus, and event-driven nonprofit model to Afro Fashion Association.
• Black in Fashion Council: A fashion industry council advancing representation and equity for Black professionals, with corporate scorecards, mentorship, and industry initiatives. Closely comparable to AFA's BIPOC-focused talent advocacy and DEI consulting mission, with similar nonprofit organization structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Afrofashionweekmilano
• Instagraminstagram.com/afwmilano
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afro-fashion-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Afro Fashion Association