African Fashion Week Industry Awards of the Decade ... by Andrew Terry Pasieka

AWARDS of the DECADE

By Andrew Terry Pasieka

African Fashion Week Toronto (AFWT) celebrated their 10th anniversary with an eight day extravaganza spread out over several locations. The in-person event was the first since 2019, as the 2020 and 2021 shows were virtual. By far the most daring (and spectacular!) was an outdoor runway at Yonge-Dundas Square, but more on that elsewhere in this issue.

The African Fashion Industry Awards (AFIA) returned to the site of an earlier time in AFWT history, posh midtown Isabel Bader Theatre on Charles Street West, just north of Queen’s Park and across the street from a venue of a previous year, the Royal Ontario Museum.

The AFIA was created to celebrate and support the Afro Fashion Industry in Canada and abroad through the recognition and promotion of outstanding achievement and emerging talent in Canadian fashion. AFIA is dedicated to generating a stronger appreciation of the Canadian Afrocentric market both nationally and internationally.

The afternoon began with a red carpet and then moved to the theatre proper for the handing out of 13 individual awards. This being the 10th anniversary, all winners were chosen for their work over the decade. We want to single out a few highlights, in no particular order. He has been called the King of Couture and the godfather of African fashion. Adebayo Jones, multi award winning fashion designer, educator & TV host, has been front and center of almost every AFWT. For several years he had a major runway collection as part of the awards ceremony and the closing day. He recalls the first year like it was yesterday, and described AFWT as “a beacon of light and hope for creatives.” Jones was presenting the International Designer Brand of the Decade, and the winner was Afriken by Nana (Ghana).

Staying with designers, the winner of Men’s Wear Brand of the Decade was Zalahari (Presenter = Faith Biyapo, TD Bank, Regional Manager for Black community development), and for Ladies Wear Brand of the Decade Kaela Kay was victorious (Presenters = Joan Pierre, CEO & Nicole Waldron, Event Planning Specialist). Kaela Kay said she was so grateful to be out again and interacting with others in the profession that it was a victory in itself. That is why she will not take this honor for granted. It was touching how she mentioned the unsung but important role her spouse has played in her rise to prominence.

We would be remiss without mentioning an impassioned spiritually-tinged acceptance speech by Angela of Angela’s Beauty Box, who told of her extremely modest beginnings, her steadfastness in travelling the long road to success, and her underlying theme of remaining humble. She was the Hair