Apply for IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa. Birimian and the Institut Français de la Mode are supporting African emerging designers through a unique accelerator program for young creative brands based on the African continent or in the diaspora. For the first edition, IFM-Birimian Accelerator x Africa will support 10 emerging designers selected for their talent, creativity, connection to the african heritage and capacity to upscale, with the expertise of a creative board composed of industry experts.

The selected designers and brands are offered personalized assistance, coaching advisory services for the development of their company by a dedicated team of professionals and industry experts, in the main areas of expertise required for a young creative company: brand identity, offer, distribution, production, image and communication, budget and financing.

The objective: nurture talent and accelerate the growth of African designers through capacity-building.

Benefits

The definition of the project and of its positioning, the structuring of collections, retail strategy, communication policy, financial monitoring.

• Collection building, distribution, communication, financial resources and teams. To set up operational working tools such as collection planning, general sales conditions, treasury framework, communication framework.
• To step back in order to gain perspective in relation to day-to-day pace and exchange with other designers/labels going through similar situations.
• Elevation of international standards and strenghtening of technical and operational competences through luxury and fashion experts mentoring.
• Exposure to the international creative scene (supporting applications to prestigious and strategic prizes and collaboration opportunities).
• A potential lead-in to preparing business plans/financing arrangements.
• Potential investment from Birimian.

Criteria

• A label with African roots and heritage that has existed for at least 3 seasons.
• An annual sales figure of over USD 50,000 excluding tax and a positive result.
• An early reputation established with influencers and tangible activity on social media.
• If possible, having already established a team, tandem with a designer and another person in charge of sales, management.
• Creative talent and drive to move forward.

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