By Rinelda Mouton
According to some fashion designers the industry in Namibia remains to struggle experiencing various challenges such as funding, jealousy, shortage of training and lack of business support.
Fashion designer Helena Hangula at Puurfekt Studio said Namibia don not have materials and therefore most materials are imported, making them costly and limiting design options.
“Many platforms and projects are not equally accessible, with the same designers often being selected. These challenges makes it harder for emerging designers to grow and compete effectively,” Hangula said. She added that in Namibia the fashion industry is often overlooked due to limited investment, low media visibility and a perception that it is less important than other sectors.
“This undervaluation ignores its potential to create jobs, promote culture, and contribute to the creative economy. With the right support, it could play a much bigger role in national development. The fashion industry in Namibia remains small because many large companies prefer factory-produced promotional items instead of supporting local designers. In addition, high taxes and import costs on fabrics increase production expenses, making it harder for designers to compete and grow,” she added.
Hangula stressed that it is concerning that some designers do not support each other. She said the formation of cliques creates division and limits collaboration, which ultimately harms the growth of the industry.
“Without stronger support for local fashion, it will be difficult to reach the level of countries like Nigeria, where the industry thrives on local demand and pride in homegrown brands. Fashion needs unity. When designers work together and uplift one another, the whole industry benefits and becomes stronger.”
Dennis Hendricks, the founder and director of Katutura Fashion Week (KFW) said one of the biggest hurdles is limited access to funding and investment. He said many designers are self-funded, which makes it hard to scale production, invest in quality materials, or build strong brands.
“Even participating in events can stretch finances when you factor in fabrics, production and presentation costs. There is also the issue of a small local market. Namibia’s population is relatively small, so designers often struggle to find consistent buyers at home. This pushes many to think beyond borders early, but breaking into regional or international markets without strong backing or networks is not easy,” Hendricks said.
He said Namibia has limited global visibility. He said compared to fashion hubs like Johannesburg or Lagos, Namibia does not yet have a strong international fashion pipeline. He said many local designers struggle to access global markets, buyers and media platforms that could elevate their work.
“Fashion is not just about creativity. it is a business. Without consistent financial support, production facilities, and retail plat- forms, designers are often forced to operate on a small scale. Events like Katutura Fashion Week are helping to bridge that gap, but they still need stronger backing from both government and private sectors to make a lasting impact. In Namibia, fashion is sometimes not taken as seriously as other industries, which affects how much support it receives.”
Fashion designer Melisa Poulton said the industry is still developing. She said the industry lacks a strong ecosystem, manufacturing, retail platforms and international exposure, which limits growth and scalability. Poulton said there are lots of opportunities available to designers and they should just make the effort to seek them out and use different platforms as an opportunity to network and open certain doors for themselves.
“Collaboration is essential. When one designer succeeds, it creates visibility for the entire industry. There is space for all of us to grow. Once more platforms and spaces within the retail space is made available to us then things can change, but designers also need to be serious enough to take the opportunity to sell there garments on these platforms,” Poulton said.
She is of the opinion that the Namibian fashion has immense potential.
“We are entering a space where local designers can compete globally while staying rooted in authenticity. If we all work together, learn from one another and take as many opportunities to collaborate amongst one another and the government we can increase our opportunities to trade and sell our products internationally,” Poulton said.
