Qasimi Rising, the talent incubator founded in 2022 by Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, is partnering with Lagos Fashion Week to widen its reach for supporting emerging fashion talent, it has been announced. The incubator comes under the umbrella of Qasimi, the fashion brand founded by her brother Khalid Al Qasimi, that the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/luxury/sheikha-hoor-al-qasimi-on-upholding-legacies-khalid-knows-that-i-would-go-to-the-ends-of-the-world-for-him-1.980060" target="_blank">Sheikha took over following his death in 2019</a>. Under her direction, the brand has expanded to include womenswear, and is now seeking to be a platform to help nurture the next generation of designers. For 2026, the brand hopes that joining forces with Lagos Fashion Week will encourage a wider reach of newcomers to apply. Omoyemi Akerele, the founder of Lagos Fashion Week, has been appointed the regional ambassador for the programme, and will help select 10 designers showing at the event to receive mentorship support. First launched in 2011, Lagos Fashion Week is increasingly carving a place for itself on the international circuit, with a growing number of African talents taking part each season. “Lagos Fashion Week is dedicated to promoting emerging talent in the region. This partnership with Qasimi Rising will undoubtedly empower these designers and set them on the path to success,” Akerele said. Created to identify and support emerging designers, every three years, Qasimi Rising selects a new round of designers to receive three years of funding and seven years of mentorship. This includes access to Qasimi's extensive network, guidance across key areas such as marketing and product development and the use of its working space and studio. The inaugural Qasimi Rising programme last year was won by two designers: Omer Asim from Sudan and Salim Azzam from Lebanon.
