African streetwear brands continuously shifting the fashion world. Streetwear is said to have emerged from neighborhoods rather than fashion designers and is often associated with hip hop and skateboarding culture. It’s an unorthodox aesthetic rooted in unapologetically dressing outside the box with an ironic cult following. Consumers are flocking to retailers for graphic-adorned hoodies, tees, sneakers, jackets, sweats, and bags and the African diaspora isn’t immune to this scurry. We rooted the evolution of this lawless fashion form in an appreciation for originators. One of the best ways to express pride in your identity and culture is through clothing. These featured brands will help you do just that, as they too want to foster a connection between Africa and the diaspora, renew pride, and empower while looking fresh and effortless.
Top Streetwear Brands
- Finchitua
- 2Bop
- Super Yaya 100%
- Riveriswild
- WafflesNCream
- Modus Vivendii
- Severe Nature
- Daniks Peters
- Free The Youth
- FearNoMan
Finchitua
Finchitua is an edgy, modern streetwear brand featuring designs inspired by tribal Ethiopia. The label’s name derives from the Ethiopian word ‘finchit’ which means ‘the girl with a gap between her teeth - like the label itself, a ‘finchit’ is unique, distinctly African, and considered a mark of beauty for the bearer.
(Source Finchitua)
2Bop
With a rich history in the streetwear game, 2Bop launched in 2004, with the aim of giving tangible expression to the designer’s passion for classic video games.
Accentuated by old-school arcade game graphics, 2Bop’s aesthetic can be characterized as modern skater meets OG Cape Town.
(Source 2Bop)
Super YAYA 100%
Super Yaya 100% is an Abidjan-based streetwear label that has a cool take on expressing Afro-futurism through fashion. Along with the catchy screen print shirts, the brand tailors customizable, West African-inspired outfits.
(Source Super Yaya 100%)
RiverIsWild
Riveriswild is a lifestyle brand that acknowledges the chaos of life, respects its unpredictability, and honors our differences and connections along the way. The brand’s collection, A Marked Memory, was influenced by Wale Akinbiyi’s (Riveriswild’s creative director) fading memories of his formative years spent in Nigeria.
(Source RiverIsWild)
WafflesNCream
WafflesNcream is Nigeria’s first skateboard collective that also has a store that provides a fresh take on streetwear apparel. The community provides a rare space for young Nigerians to explore their creativity and shape their own narrative.
(Source WafflesNCream)
Modus Vivendii
In 2011, founders Jimmy Ayeni, Ola Badiru, and Anthony Oye set out to launch a brand that expresses their ideas, and over the years, Modus Vivendii, has stayed true to its ethos—“just making cool shit.” Modus Vivendii’s mission is to amplify youth culture in Nigeria and the goal has far been exceeded.
(Source Modus Vivendii)
Severe Nature
Budding they established Nigerian streetwear brand Severe Nature to push urban trends forward. The brand follows a distinct model of dropping exclusive collections season to season and aims to eventually distribute all over the African continent.
(Source Severe Nature)
Daniks Peters
Daniks Peters is a Ghanaian brand that embodies the retro urban culture of the youth in the country. Designer Dorcas Kpogoh’s first collection, The Junkyard, was inspired by broken-down vehicles in Accra and aimed to help raise awareness about road safety.
(Source Daniks Peters)
Free The Youth
Free the Youth is a collective and agency of nine young creatives determined to empower African youth and penetrate worldwide art scenes. It aims to showcase street style via social media and later grow into a notable clothing brand and creative agency. The collective’s first collection, produced in late 2015, featured t-shirts and sweatshirts with its mantra, “this pain printed on cotton” and was seen at Accra’s Fashion Week 2017.
(Source Free The Youth)
FearNoMan
Ghanaian entrepreneur, Kulaperry, has big plans for his brand, FearNoMan. it’s set to take over the urban African fashion industry with its presence in 29 countries. It owes its success to social media marketing and branding. With a powerful logo that represents African heritage, the struggles we endure to achieve our dreams, and meditation, the brand is speaking to many consumers.
(Source FearNoMan)
