Uganda International Fashion Week calls for designers ahead of June event

• Uganda International Fashion Week will return from June 22–27, 2026, at Kampala Serena Hotel after a six-year break.

• Organisers have invited designers, manufacturers, content creators, and beauty companies to participate.

• The 2026 edition is themed “Fashion for Impact”.

• Applications for participants close on May 20, 2026.

As excitement builds around the return of Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW), organisers have called on fashion designers, manufacturers, content creators, make-up and beauty companies, and players in the tourism ecosystem to participate in the event scheduled for June 22–27, 2026, at Kampala Serena Hotel.

Returning after a six-year hiatus, Uganda International Fashion Week is positioning itself again as one of Africa’s leading fashion platforms. The event will bring together fashion designers, models, creatives, industry leaders, and fashion enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond.

The organisers invited both emerging and established creatives from Uganda, East Africa, and the wider African fashion community to apply for an opportunity to showcase their work on an internationally recognised stage that celebrates innovation, identity, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling through fashion.

This year’s edition is themed “Fashion for Impact”, highlighting the growing role of fashion as a driver of economic opportunity, cultural diplomacy, tourism, and social transformation.

Under the leadership of fashion icon Santa Anzo, founder of ARAPAPA, Uganda International Fashion Week has evolved beyond the runway into a platform that amplifies African creativity while creating opportunities for young people within the fashion and creative economy.

“Uganda International Fashion Week has always been about creating opportunities and opening doors for African creatives,” Santa noted. “Our call goes out to brands and fashion designers that are ready to join us in causing impact and are committed to using fashion not only as a form of expression, but as a tool for empowerment, storytelling, and transformation of our communities. We want the world to continue seeing Uganda and Africa through the lens of creativity and excellence.”

By showcasing Uganda’s diversity of textiles, design talent, and cultural expression, UIFW continues to strengthen Uganda’s position as a growing destination for fashion, tourism, and creative exchange.

Santa said the 2026 edition will place strong emphasis on collaboration, mentorship, skilling, talent development, and market access, while creating visibility for designers seeking to expand their brands onto regional and international platforms.

Uganda International Fashion Week 2026 is supported by Mastercard Foundation, the International Trade Centre (ITC), Bayimba Foundation, and curated by ARAPAPA, alongside other stakeholders committed to strengthening Uganda’s creative economy and empowering the next generation of African creatives.

Applications for participants are open until May 20, 2026. Interested applicants have been encouraged to apply early through the official UIFW platforms and follow Uganda International Fashion Week social media pages for updates and announcements.