Shaping Tomorrow by Cultivating Today's Talents.
Endorsement Program
Purpose
The AFN talent endorsement program was created out of the realization that POC (People Of Colour), refugees and people with immigration background in particular are unable to find access to unconventional professions.
Whether due to language barriers, conformity, exclusion, prejudice, or lack of self-confidence due to the many challenges associated with integration and finding their place in society.
These factors severely limit the access and visibility of these hidden talents in most industries that rely primarily on influence and relationships.
That’s why AFN created the Talent Endorsement Program, to offer a respectable perspective to those who essentially have no chance. We all know that it is important for everyone to have a meaning and purpose in life, and that is what we are trying to provide. AFN invites you to join us.
Let us collectively promote and celebrate the lives that need us most whilst in support of diversity, equality and inclusion.
Concept
Each year, AFN selects a group of talents from the diaspora community for the AFN Talent Endorsement Program.
These potential talents are diamonds in the rough that possibly have very high potential.
As an example with our models, AFN’s support program is designed to prepare and elevate them to a level that will open up opportunities but also give them the confidence needed to maneuver and promote themselves on the stage of the world of fashion.
Not only do they get to walk for AFN shows as forefront models but also be a part of all AFN campaign shootings and act as ambassadors for AFN.
The program offers a host of perks with the aim to help them achieve their goal of becoming professional models.
All Models either have a secondary migration background or have come to Switzerland as refugees themselves. AFN aims to provide them with the opportunities and training to realize their goals and dreams whilst elevating their confidence and experience through exposure.
This program is the heart of the AFN initiative to contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fashion industry.
Get to know our Endorsed Models
Esther Ashiyanbi
Esther Ashiyanbi from Nigeria and Ivory Coast, 22 years old, started modeling officially 18.09.21 at the afn fashion show in Kunsthaus Zürich. Esther is a natural talent when it comes to modeling and is very photogenic. She wants to be a model because she enjoys the challenge and dedication necessary to be successful in the business.
Fernando Hofstetter
Keren Mukwambele
Keren Mukwambele, 22 years old from DR Conko, has quite a bit of Modeling experience and is a super versatile model. She has participated in a few Fashion Shows, two AFN Fashion Shows and is regularly booked for shootings all over Switzerland.
Moise Bodika
Moise Bodika, 27 years old, is from DR Congo and a personal trainer. Putting his body to use he decided to become a model after receiving modeling offers for sports brands. 18.09.21 at the afn fashion show in Kunsthaus Zürich he walked his first fashion show and expressed strong eagerness to receive professional training.
Meet our Modelcoach
Magaly Oliviera
Magaly Oliveira worked in Brazil for many years as a catwalk model and in advertising as a campaign model for photos and film. Living in Switzerland since 2004, she mainly pursued her passion as a choreographer and catwalk coach.
Meet our Endorsed Designer Brands
Artfully
Koi Design
Margret Wanguwi Wakio, born in Kenya and living in CH since the age of 3. From an early age she loved to sew and is self-taught.
When she was a teenager, she designed stylish and trendy outfits for her family and friends that included a mix of modern fashion and African fabrics. She often recycled the fabrics and added her own African touch, which also allowed her to connect with her African identity and go with the current trends.
Koi Fashion is an upcycling brand that believes everything deserves a second chance. Kenya has shown her how creativity can be developed with few resources, and that is reflected in her collection today. Koi uses only locally made fabrics from Kenya and Tanzania and believes that it is important to support the local market to keep it alive!
Mahoney Creation
1955-2022
EMMANUEL KULI ADJEI (aka Mahoney) was born in Accra, Ghana, in 1955, the eldest son of a chief, and was exposed to royal African fabrics and traditional royal clothing and fashion from an early age. This was the foundation for his love of what he does best:
Designing fashion. In the late ’70s, Mahoney toured with a band called Black Earth as their personal tailor. During one of their stops in Switzerland, he met and fell in love with his then-wife.
After they had been together for some time, Mahoney moved to Bern in 1978 and got married. In Bern, he continued to follow his passion for fashion and quickly found work with the Swiss company Modema, which not only produced the uniforms of the Swiss Army, but at that time also produced the very popular boutique brands BIG and MR. X.
He never stopped designing for his clients in his spare time and always dreamed of having his own brand. A few years later he moved to Zurich and worked for Corporate, the company responsible for all airport uniforms, until his retirement. Over the years, he made a name for himself in the African community and is known for his perfect workmanship and fancy designs.
At the age of 66 and retired, he found the time to finally realize his dream and start his own brand. He teamed up with AFN and within a few months he had his collection ready. As part of AFN’s Talent Endorsement program, Mahoney Creation was launched in Spring 2021 in collaboration with African Fashion Night and will present its first collection on September 18, 2021 at AFN 2021 at Kunsthaus Zurich.
Sadly, in January 2022 EMMANUEL KULI ADJEI passed away.
Meet Roberto Dunn
Photographer
Roberto Dunn, 23 years old amateur photographer who wants to turn his hobby into a profession.
Roberto focuses on fashion, portrait and street photography.
Professionally, Roberto is a caregiver at Tilgen Schoolhouse, taking care of children ages 6 to 7.
Since 2022, Roberto is part of the AFN Talent Endorsement Program and is supported by mentors in his photography career. He learns the different editing programs, is supported in positioning and social media, and is assigned tasks to do on his own or with guidance.
Currently, Bexolutions is helping him build his Instagram @r.dunn_photography.
Meet our endorsed Double Bass Player & Singer
Afi-Sika Kuzeawu
It was during her job as an analyst in a trading company that Afi Sika Kuzeawu began to question her happiness.
Practicing to listen to her inner being made her discover music inside of her that arose with such clarity that she could not ignore it anymore. While aspiring to perform as a singer, writing music made her start playing the double bass as well, one of the key sounds she imagined.
She performs in the simultaneous combination of her voice and the double bass. Her first album “nubu”, recorded together with drummer Flo Hufschmid and pianist Gianni Guida, testifies of the cultural heritage from her home country, Togo.
Her bass lines originate from an internal dance, from a body impulse. Besides performing solo, she performs with her trio, for who she writes her music correspondingly.
Meet Lilian Duhoux
Fashion Event Coordinator
Lilian Duhoux, 18 year old fashion and technology student, with a passion for creativity and design.
She is now in her second year of studies at STF Swiss School of Textiles and attended 3 years of fashion school at Modeco, both in Zurich.
Lilian is involved in the AFN Talent Endorsement Program and is supported by the team in her development as an event coordinator and management assistant for the African Fashion Shows.
We are happy to announce that she has also been hired for a 1 year internship at Bexolutions.
Supporters of the Talent Endorsement Programm
