The French Embassy has announced the launch of the Lagos-Paris Fashion & Design Accelerator, a Nine-months programme expected to start from October 2023 to June 2024.
The programme is aimed at supporting 10 high-potential Nigerian brands within the fashion and design ecosystem.
According to a statement on Thursday, the accelerator emphasises on providing close mentorship, nurturing creativity, reinforcing business literacy and guiding
Nigerian emerging creatives and their teams in navigating the French and global fashion industry.
The statement revealed that through the 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 statement added that the aim of the programme was 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, the statement said, 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, stressing that however, the laureate brands are considered in their singularity with a tailored accompaniment.
“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; Direct & indirect grants; Investment readiness module with pitching sessions to investors; Support
to the participation to a French prescriptive event in 2024”, it further said.
The statement revealed that 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: MALIKO and Ethnic Africa; For Design: OMI Collective et Aga Design and Culture Limited.”
The statement also said the Lagos-Paris Fashion & Design Accelerator was part of a global programme announced by the French President, Emmanuel MACRON in February 2023, called “Création Africa”, aimed at increasing support and resources to the French diplomatic network and its action toward the global
ecosystem of creative and cultural
industries.