Elevate Africa has officially opened applications for the 2026 edition of the Threads of Africa Fashion Film Prize, a pan-African initiative that aims to preserve the continent's textile heritage by empowering creatives to tell stories through fashion and film.
Bringing together fashion, culture and visual storytelling, the programme invites designers, filmmakers, students and creative teams from across Africa and the diaspora to document, reinterpret and celebrate endangered textiles, traditional garments and indigenous production techniques through short fashion films.
The call for entries comes at a time when African fashion is enjoying unprecedented global visibility. Designers from across the continent are increasingly attracting international attention, yet many traditional textiles and craftsmanship practices remain under threat due to limited investment, inadequate production infrastructure and the gradual loss of generational knowledge.
Under the theme "Stories of Rebirth", the 2026 edition seeks to spotlight fashion not only as a creative industry but also as a tool for cultural preservation, economic empowerment and sustainable development.
Participants are required to produce a three-to-five-minute fashion micro-film centred on an endangered African textile, garment or production technique. The films should combine documentary-style storytelling with visual exploration of the creative process while emphasising the cultural value and future economic potential of the featured tradition.
According to the project lead for Threads of Africa, Princess-Iman Sado, the initiative is designed to inspire a broader cultural movement.
"Threads of Africa Fashion Film Prize is more than a competition; it is a movement to reclaim our narratives and revive our traditions. It is our way of weaving a stronger and better-connected Africa," she said.
The programme builds on the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, which attracted more than 520 participants from Nigeria and several West African countries, demonstrating growing interest in creative approaches to cultural preservation.
Previous winners included Adeyoola Adenusi of Adeyoola's Rehab and Tammytara Abaku of The Abiyetara Brand from Nigeria, alongside Philip-Oppong Antwi of Phyll Quahsey from Ghana, whose projects showcased the potential of fashion storytelling to preserve heritage while driving innovation.
For 2026, the organisers have significantly expanded the programme, increasing the prize pool to include up to $25,000 in non-dilutive grants for outstanding participants.
In addition to financial support, winners will gain access to mentorship opportunities, international exposure through a dedicated showcase at Elevate Africa's 2026 Convening in Ghana, and promotional support across the organisation's platforms and partner networks.
Organisers say the expanded initiative is intended to strengthen collaboration across African creative industries, stimulate conversations around the creative economy and contribute to building a more integrated and globally competitive fashion sector.
As conversations around cultural preservation and creative entrepreneurship continue to grow across the continent, Threads of Africa positions fashion film as a powerful medium for documenting heritage, amplifying local stories and ensuring that traditional craftsmanship remains relevant for future generations.
