Award-winning fashion designer Lilly Alfonso through her 100 Year Plan has partnered British Council in a move that aims at supporting the fashion business in the country.
A call out has since been made seeking for designers both male and female between the ages of 18 to 35 to be part of the Creative DNA Malawi whose closing deadline is February 25 2025.
Alfonso who in December last year opened a luxurious store at Kamuzu International Airport which houses her designs and that of other designers, said through the programme designers will among others, undergo training as part of shaping their future in the trade and also preparing them to be innovative.
“We want to give fashion designers a platform and also help find markets for them. Through this, designers can also access funds to boost their businesses,” she said.
Alfonso said she was excited to work with British Council through the 100 Year Plan.
“The 100 Year Plan has been there but without partners and support and so, to have British Council in it is something huge,” she said revealing plans of a fashion show on the ladder.
Arts Project Manager and Sub Saharan Africa Arts Coordinator Janan Eochi said the Creative DNA project will focus on scaling the business and creative skills of fashion designers in Malawi with an ambition of demonstrating that fashion is a professional career choice for young people in the country and a valuable contributor to the creative economy.
On working with Alfonso, Eochi said she responded to an open call that British Council Malawi put out calling for creative institutions and practitioners to apply as a delivery partner for creative DNA work in the country.
“She emerged our strongest candidate after an evaluation process and she is also strongly rooted to the fashion industry in Malawi,” Eochi said.
