Zozibini Tunzi, a Black woman with afro hair, grew up reading fashion and beauty magazines that did not contain images of women who looked like her. So when she was crowned Miss South Africa one year ago, Tunzi felt on top of the world.
A rise in recognition for African designers and Black models globally is due to the influence of global fashion trends being more interconnected. China is one of the largest garment exporters in the world. In order to remain ahead of competition and promote cross-border business initiatives, China’s $218 million fashion industry is opening up to fashion designers and models from Africa and Africa’s diaspora.