The organisers of Africa Fashion Week London have chosen Congolese Model, Noëlla Musunka to become the ambassador of the 2013 edition of the annual event. Below is the press release by the Africa Fashion Week London team.
Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) organisers are delighted to welcome model and philantrophistNoëlla Coursaris Musunka who joins fellow ambassador, Ghanaian model and philanthropist Menaye Donkor Muntari, and champion of African fashion, as an AFWL 2013 Ambassador for the third edition of the fashion event taking place from 1st to 3rd August 2013.
Africa Fashion Week London 2013 will see over 100 African designers and exhibitors showcasing their designs at the event, taking place in the impressive Truman Brewery space, just off Brick Lane. This years’ AFWL is set to be bigger and better than ever and will be the largest fashion event in Europe dedicated to African and African-inspired fashion. Organisers are expecting over 25,000 people to attend the event over the course of the three days.
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Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is the founder of Georges Malaika Foundation as well as an internationally renowned model who has graced the pages of a number of fashion magazines such as Vanity Fair, Arena Magazine, NewAfricanWoman, Arise Magazine and led a number of other fashion campaigns such as that of Agent Provocateur.
Born in Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and raised in Belgium and Switzerland, after achieving a degree in business management, Noëlla moved to London and embarked on a career in international modelling. Her successful modelling career brought Noella to New York where in 2007, in tandem with her active modeling career, she started the Georges Malaika Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Noëlla, which is dedicated to providing all the tools necessary for young girls and communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to unlock their potential through education.
A fierce activist who works towards the empowerment of African girls and women, Noëlla has spoken at the UN and at the Kinshasa Parliament and has had her work featured on the BBC’s Focus Africa. She spoke during the Opening Plenary of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting and she hosted the 2013 Cinema for Peace Gala for Humanity, where Ben Affleck received an award for his work in DR Congo.
On her appointment as AFWL Ambassador 2013, Noëlla said: “I am honoured to be an ambassador for AFWL 2013 as I strongly believe in the power of fashion to inspire and connect people. I am delighted to be representing African designers and to help them showcase their talents for the world.”
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Named as a “major modern-day activist” by CNN in 2010, Noëlla attended the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting 2012 addressing President Bill Clinton during the Opening Plenary, highlighting GMF’s work in the Congo. She also hosted Cinema for Peace New York 2013 in Los Angeles where Ben Affleck was awarded for his work in the Congo. In January 2013, Noëlla received one of the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s GOOD Awards honouring her for outstanding leadership and for GMF’s positive impact in the DRC.
Ronke Ademiluyi, the founder and CEO of AFWL welcomed Noëlla Coursaris Musunka back to AFWL with these words:
“Not just a pretty face, Noëlla is a talented, intelligent and passionate champion of Africa and a great role model for young Africans. We are delighted to have her on board and supporting this year’s event as one of our ambassadors and we look forward to hosting her at The Old Truman Brewery this August.”
With Mrs Fifi Ejindu, the Nigeria-based architect and businesswoman and Yinka Shonibare MBE, the London-based globally celebrated Nigerian fine artist as patrons, with official hair sponsor L’Oreal Mizani and official media sponsor NewAfricanWoman, this year’s event once again promises to be a huge success.
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The tickets for AFWL are now on sale. With still a few spaces left for runway and exhibition space, Africa Fashion Week London 2013 is accepting applications from designers who wish to showcase on the runway and/or exhibit their merchandise over the three-day exhibition.
