Ethiopia’s fashion industry was represented at the fourth BRICS+ Fashion Summit, held in Moscow from September 28 to 30 as part of Moscow Fashion Week.
Mahlet Teklemariam, founder of Hub of Africa Fashion Week, represented the Ethiopian fashion sector as a panelist in a session titled “Fashion as a City’s Symbolic Capital.”
The discussion examined how fashion, cultural identity, craftsmanship and the creative industries can contribute to a city’s global image, visibility and economic potential.
Mahlet highlighted Ethiopia’s distinctive fashion heritage, including its hand-weaving traditions and the country’s potential to develop garments and other fashion products locally, from fibre production to finished goods.
Her participation placed Addis Ababa and Ethiopian fashion within a broader international discussion on how cities can use culture and creativity to strengthen their global identity and generate economic opportunities.
The summit brought together designers, fashion-industry executives, government representatives, academics, media professionals and business leaders from Russia and more than 60 other countries.
Its 26-session business programme focused on issues including local-brand development, access to international markets, investment, traditional crafts, youth participation, artificial intelligence and technological innovation.
Over its four editions, the BRICS+ Fashion Summit has attracted representatives from more than 100 countries, creating opportunities for international exchange, collaboration and new partnerships within the fashion and creative sectors.
For Ethiopia, participation in the summit provided an opportunity to promote the country’s textile and fashion capabilities, while drawing attention to its cultural assets and emerging creative economy.
The country’s handwoven textiles and distinctive design traditions have long formed an important part of its cultural identity. Industry advocates have increasingly called for greater investment in local production, skills development, branding and value addition to help Ethiopia compete in international fashion markets.
The summit’s focus on technology and innovation also highlighted the changing nature of the global fashion industry. Artificial intelligence, digital production systems and new approaches to marketing are increasingly influencing how fashion products are designed, manufactured and sold.
