MADE IN AFRICA

Made in Africa (MIA) is a global luxury and retail platform for African creatives. We define Africa mainly by the culture shared by those of African descent, whether they currently reside in Accra or Atlanta. In this regard, Africa is everywhere. MIA initially began in 2013 as an initiative of Liberty & Justice (L&J), Africa’s first Fair Trade Certified apparel manufacturer. After winning the top prize from the 2014 Hague Institute for Innovation in Law, MIA was spun out as a new business under the leadership of L&J’s CEO, Chid Liberty.

In 2018, Kojo Annan became co-founder, co-lead investor, and Chairman of Made in Africa. Liberty and Annan quickly built momentum around the idea of an African luxury group by securing a $190 million facility from Africa’s Import Export Bank (Afreximbank) and investments from leading families in fashion, entertainment, and philanthropy. The group’s strategy has since centered around buying and transforming existing fashion houses, as well as the development of new houses that serve cultural tastemakers.

Made in Africa is committed to best practices in corporate governance and global citizenship. Under the leadership of the board’s governance committee, and its chair, Fifty percent (50%) of our board seats will always be held by women and 50% will also always be held by people of African descent. These commitments are not quotas, per se, they are based on decades of research proving that diverse boards generate higher financial returns for shareholders in the long term. Additionally, these commitments fortify MIA’s non-negotiable commitment to a non-extractive relationship with African art, culture, and heritage.

Made in Africa also has an unwavering commitment to sustainability and human dignity. The board’s sustainability committee, and its chair, provide oversight for all aspects of the company’s strategy as it relates to ethics. For Made in Africa, environmental sustainability and human rights are synonymous with luxury. We are pioneering a new era in fashion and luxury devoid of modern-day slavery, child labor, and exploitative practices more broadly. Instead, MIA’s strategy is built upon building beautiful partnerships with artisans and creatives, as well as all other participants in our value chain such as farmers and textile workers.

While historically, global luxury has been largely a European phenomenon, a massive shift is taking place in art and global culture reorienting our ideals around aspiration and value. No longer are antiquated notions of superior art or craftsmanship only expected from a limited number of regions within our diverse and beautiful world. The lines have blurred between streetwear and luxury. Artisanal work from Varanasi outdoes its competition from Paris. We do not believe this is simply a moment, it is a movement. And we predict this will become the most important movement in fashion’s history. Largely led by the Liberty and Annan families, with private shareholders from all over the globe, our greatest commitment is that the future of luxury will be Made in Africa.