AFRO Fashion Association and Accademia del Lusso launch scholarship programme for emerging fashion talent

AFRO Fashion Association and Accademia del Lusso have announced a new partnership to support emerging fashion professionals through a scholarship programme worth approximately 120,000 Euros.

The initiative will provide five scholarships to students from Cameroon, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Italy, with the aim of expanding access to higher education in fashion and luxury. More than 60 applications from nine countries were reviewed through a joint selection process designed to identify candidates whose profiles matched the academic programmes on offer.

The scholarship recipients will enrol in a range of accredited programmes at Accademia del Lusso, including master's degrees in Fashion Brand Management, Luxury Management and Fashion Communication Management, as well as a bachelor's-level diploma in Fashion Design. The programmes combine academic study with workshops, interdisciplinary projects, industry engagement and career placement support to prepare graduates for roles across the fashion and luxury sectors.

The collaboration builds on AFRO Fashion Association's wider efforts to improve access to fashion education through partnerships with institutions in Europe and Africa. According to the organisation, it has previously awarded 30 scholarships to support emerging creatives pursuing studies in fashion and design, alongside mentorship and networking initiatives aimed at developing professional skills and industry connections.

Representatives from both organisations said the partnership is intended to promote merit-based access to education while reflecting the increasingly international and multicultural nature of the global fashion industry. They added that the programme seeks to equip students with the skills needed to contribute to the future development of the creative sector.

For fashion educators, the initiative highlights the growing role of scholarship programmes and institutional partnerships in widening participation in fashion education. It also reflects an increasing emphasis on combining academic learning with industry experience, mentorship and international collaboration to prepare students for careers in the global fashion and luxury market.