Uganda’s fashion industry is being challenged to move beyond creativity and the runway to become a stronger engine for business, employment and economic opportunity for young people today.
This was the central message as the Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW) 2026 was officially opened yesterday, on August 31, at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) Multipurpose Hall in Lugogo, with the Fashion and Business Expo taking centre stage.
Although the Expo activities began on August 30, the official opening ceremony brought together creatives, businesses, development partners, designers, buyers and industry professionals to examine how Uganda’s growing creative talent can be connected to markets and turned into sustainable livelihoods.
The international presence at this year’s UIFW has also added another layer to that conversation. Designers from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi and India have been participating in the week’s activities, creating opportunities for young Ugandan creatives to interact directly with established players from international fashion markets.
These designers, who are set to showcase their work at the UIFW Grand Finale on September 5, also used the Expo as an opportunity to facilitate one-on-one mentorship, knowledge exchange through panel discussions and business connections, as well as exposing emerging creatives to different approaches to design, production and branding.
UIFW 2026, under the theme Fashion for Impact, is positioning fashion as more than an industry of clothes and aesthetics, but as a potential driver of economic opportunity, cultural identity, innovation and sustainability.
Opening the ceremony, Santa Anzo, founder of UIFW and lead designer at Arapapa Fashion House, pointed to the gap between Uganda’s abundance of talent and the opportunities available to turn that talent into viable 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. UIFW is building that bridge 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 was created partly to address this gap by giving young creatives access to potential buyers, markets, mentors and business partners, while allowing them to gain practical experience beyond the classroom.
Dr Ruth Aisha Biyinzika, coordinator of the “Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises” (GROW) Project, also encouraged the young creatives, particularly young women, to remain committed to their ambitions. She highlighted the GROW Project’s role in providing mentorship and financial support to help young creatives develop their talents into sustainable businesses and careers.
For Faizo Kiweewa, Director of Bayimba Foundation, the opportunity is much bigger than fashion alone. He said that 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,” he said, adding that the programme seeks to strengthen value chains, foster innovation and bridge the gap between skills development and market opportunities.
He also stressed the importance of inclusion, noting that persons living with disabilities and refugees had been deliberately integrated into training programmes and casting sessions, reinforcing fashion as a space for participation, self-expression and economic independence.
The business conversation continued in a panel discussion featuring Kenyan designer Hellen Tolbert and award-winning Ugandan designer Anita Beryl, moderated by Anita Fabiola. The discussion focused on how emerging women designers can access markets, finance and growth opportunities.
During the three days of the expo, young models have been guided by South African fashion producer Andiswa Manxiwa, who is producing UIFW 2026, alongside deputy producer Cindy Lee. The pair have been mentoring the models on runway presentation and movement, bringing international experience and standards to their preparation for the showcase.
The UIFW-2026 grand finale will take place at the Kampala Serena Hotel on September 5th, with a fashion celebratory runway of both Ugandan and international designers.