Uganda’s fashion industry is being challenged to look beyond the runway and position itself as a stronger driver of business, employment and Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project for young people.
The call was made as the Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW) 2026 officially opened on August 31 at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) Multipurpose Hall in Lugogo, with the Fashion and Business Expo taking centre stage.
Although Expo activities began on August 30, the official opening brought together designers, creatives, businesses, development partners, buyers and other industry players to explore how Uganda’s growing creative talent can be connected to markets and transformed into sustainable careers.
This year’s international participation has added a wider dimension to the conversation, with designers from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi and India taking part in the week’s activities.
Beyond showcasing their work, the visiting designers have been engaging young Ugandan creatives through one on one mentorship sessions, panel discussions, knowledge exchange and business networking. Their participation is also exposing emerging designers and models to different approaches to design, production, branding and the wider fashion business.
UIFW 2026 is running under the theme “Fashion for Impact”, positioning fashion as more than clothing and aesthetics, but as a potential driver of economic opportunity, cultural identity, innovation and sustainability.
Opening the event, Santa Anzo, founder of UIFW and lead designer at Arapapa Fashion House, said Uganda’s biggest challenge is no longer a shortage of creative talent, but creating the right structures to turn that talent into sustainable businesses and careers.
“Uganda does not have a creativity problem; we have extraordinary talent. Our task now is to turn that talent into sustainable businesses, jobs, exports and economic opportunity,” Anzo said.
She added that UIFW was created partly to bridge the gap between creativity and commerce.
“Although the runway may capture attention, it is the business behind fashion that transforms lives,” she said.
Anzo explained that the Fashion and Business Expo gives young creatives access to potential buyers, markets, mentors and business partners, while also providing practical exposure beyond what they learn in classrooms and training institutions.
Dr Ruth Aisha Biyinzika, coordinator of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, encouraged young creatives, particularly women, to remain committed to their ambitions.
She highlighted the role of the GROW Project in providing mentorship and financial support to help young creatives turn their skills into sustainable businesses and careers.
For Faizo Kiweewa, director of Bayimba Foundation, the opportunity extends beyond fashion itself.
He said the CREATE programme, which focuses on creative employment opportunities within the cultural and creative economy, aims to empower more than 9,000 young people, particularly women, over the next three years.
“We are specifically focusing on young women because we want to see women have equal opportunities to access and fully work within the cultural and creative sector,” Kiweewa said.
He added that the programme is focused on strengthening creative value chains, encouraging innovation and closing the gap between skills development and access to markets.
In keeping with the focus on inclusion, Kiweewa said persons living with disabilities and refugees have also been deliberately included in training programmes and casting sessions, creating opportunities for participation, self expression and economic independence.
The business side of fashion was further explored during a panel discussion featuring Kenyan designer Hellen Tolbert and award winning Ugandan designer Anita Beryl, moderated by Anita Fabiola. The discussion examined some of the challenges facing emerging women designers, including access to markets, financing and opportunities to scale their businesses.
Meanwhile, young models taking part in the Expo have been receiving guidance from South African fashion producer Andiswa Manxiwa, who is producing UIFW 2026, alongside deputy producer Cindy Lee.
The pair have been mentoring models on runway presentation and movement as they prepare for the main showcase, bringing international experience and standards to the training.
The week will culminate in the UIFW 2026 Grand Finale on September 5 at Kampala Serena Hotel, where Ugandan and international designers will present their collections in a celebratory fashion showcase.
With its focus on business, mentorship, inclusion and international collaboration, this year’s UIFW is seeking to make a case that Uganda’s fashion industry can be more than a showcase of creativity. It can also become a pathway to jobs, businesses and economic independence for the young people driving the sector.
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