As excitement continues to build around the highly anticipated return of Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW), the organisers have officially called for fashion designers, manufactures, content creators, make-up and beauty companies and the tourism eco-system to participate in the return event slated for June 22–27, 2026, at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Returning after a six-year hiatus, the Uganda International Fashion Week is once again positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading fashion platforms, bringing together fashion designers, models, creatives, industry leaders, and fashion enthusiasts, from across the continent and beyond.
The call for designers invites both emerging and established creatives from Uganda, East Africa, and the wider African fashion community, to apply for an opportunity to showcase their works 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 renowned fashion icon Santa Anzo, the founder of ARAPAPA, the Uganda International Fashion Week has evolved beyond the runway into a platform that amplifies African creativity, while creating meaningful 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 *committed to use 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 excellence8.”
By showcasing Uganda’s rich 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 highlighted that the 2026 UIFW will put 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 the Mastercard Foundation, the International Trade Centre (ITC), Bayimba Foundation, and curated by ARAPAPA, and other stakeholders committed to strengthening Uganda’s creative economy and empowering the next generation of African creatives.
Applications for participants are officially open until May 20, 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early through the official UIFW platforms and follow Uganda International Fashion Week social media pages for updates and announcements.
