By Our Reporter
With the Uganda International Fashion Week (UIFW) set to take over Kampala from this Sunday- August 30th to September 5th, the final preparations are underway, and some of Uganda’s leading fashion talents are getting ready to bring their work into the spotlight.
Across fashion houses and studios, designers are putting finishing touches to their collections, refining details and working with their teams to ensure that their work is ready for the week-long event. After months of planning and creating, the excitement is now moving from the drawing board to the runway, exhibition spaces and other UIFW platforms, where Ugandan fashion will meet audiences, industry players and international talent.
The local lineup brings together some of Uganda’s leading fashion talents, each bringing a different creative voice to UIFW. Award-winning designer Anita Beryl, founder of Beryl Qouture, will bring her signature haute couture, bridal and ready-to-wear designs, while Muhangi Bomukama, popularly known as Dutah Muhangi, will bring her unique intersection of fashion and art.
Natasha Rubadiri- of Natwe, will add a contemporary touch to the lineup, while Joanita Nabagesera- of Lulungi Couture, also known for empowering young people through tailoring lessons, will showcase her custom wear and gowns. Angela Kyomukama of Glamour House, will bring her expertise in millinery, with her distinctive headpieces, turbans and fascinators.
Opening the Grand Finale runway will be Lincoln Axarya, who will be the first designer to showcase on the night, setting the tone for an evening that will celebrate the depth and diversity of Ugandan fashion.
Together, the designers represent different corners of Uganda’s fashion industry. From couture and bridal wear, to custom clothing, art and millinery, their participation will give UIFW an opportunity to showcase, not just individual designers, but the breadth of creative talent being developed within Uganda.
For UIFW Founder Santa Anzo, the strength of the local lineup is a sign of where Uganda’s creative industry is heading.
“The talent we have in Uganda is remarkable, and the designers taking part in UIFW are proof that the future of our creative industry is in good hands. They are building brands, creating opportunities and showing that Ugandan creativity has the potential to grow into something much bigger. What we need is to continue creating platforms that connect this talent to audiences, markets and opportunities,” Anzo said.
That connection will be an important part of UIFW, as the local designers prepare to engage with an audience that will include fellow creatives, businesses, fashion enthusiasts and international designers. Their participation will also place Ugandan fashion within a broader conversation about the role of creativity in business, culture and tourism.
And while the international lineup has already generated plenty of excitement, the local designers will have their own moment to make an impression.
With UIFW just days away, the anticipation is building around what these designers have been creating- and what they will bring when Uganda’s fashion industry takes centre stage for a full week of fashion, business and creativity.
The UIFW 2026 will kick off with the Fashion & Business Expo, which will run from this Sunday- August 30th to September 1st, at the UMA Multipurpose Hall. The expo will be free to the public, giving young creatives an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work, with clothing, jewelry, shoes, crafts and other creative products available to the public.