The fashion industry in Uganda has produced designers whose work spans couture, ready-to-wear clothing, costume design, styling and fashion education. Their work has appeared at local and international fashion events and has helped establish Kampala as a centre for fashion in the region.
Among the established names are Abbas Kaijuka, Anita Beryl, Fatumah Asha, Santa Anzo, Stella Atal, Sylvia Owori, Allan Raphael Kasule, Abryanz and Xenson Ssenkaaba.
There is no single official ranking of Uganda’s “best” fashion designers. The designers stand out for different reasons, including the brands they have built, their participation in fashion events, celebrity clients and their contribution to the development of the industry.
Abbas Kaijuka
Abbas Kaijuka is the designer behind Kai’s Divo Collection and has built a profile as both a fashion designer and stylist.
He began working in fashion in 2014 after travelling to China and initially buying clothing for friends, family and former workmates. His client base later expanded to artists, media personalities and models.
Kaijuka’s work has included styling and designing outfits for Ugandan entertainers. In 2026, he staged his first solo Kai’s Divo showcase in Uganda during the Miss Universe Uganda sashing ceremony, presenting three collections.
His work has also featured at regional fashion platforms including Swahili Fashion Week.
Brian Ahumuza
Brian Ahumuza, widely known as Abryanz, is a Ugandan fashion entrepreneur, stylist and designer and the founder of the Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards.
He launched the awards in 2013 as a platform to recognise fashion and style talent in Uganda. The event later expanded its focus to the wider African fashion industry. The ASFAs’ official history records the first edition at MTN Arena in Lugogo in 2013.
Ahumuza also built the Abryanz Collection fashion business, starting with clothing sales while he was a university student before expanding into retail, styling and celebrity clientele. A 2017 profile in The Independent documented his early career and the growth of his fashion business.
His work has included styling Ugandan celebrities, while the ASFAs have become one of the country’s established fashion events. In 2018, Ahumuza described the awards as a platform for recognising people working in the African fashion industry and highlighting the economic potential of fashion.
In 2015, Ahumuza was also named among the ambassadors for Coca-Cola’s “Billion Reasons to Believe” campaign, which focused on encouraging young people to believe in their abilities and potential.
Anita Beryl
Anita Beryl is the founder and creative director of Beryl Qouture, a Ugandan fashion house specialising in couture and ready-to-wear clothing.
Beryl established the label in 2011. Her work has included bridal and red-carpet clothing, and the brand has participated in fashion events outside Uganda, including Accra Fashion Week and Swahili Fashion Week.
Her collections have also been presented internationally. In 2017, Daily Monitor reported on Beryl Qouture’s participation in World Fashion Week in Malaysia.
Beryl remains an active figure in Uganda’s fashion industry. In 2026, she was among the designers announced to showcase at Uganda International Fashion Week.
Fatumah Asha
Fatumah Asha is known for bespoke clothing, particularly bridal wear and gowns. She is the founder of the Fatumahasha brand and Tesi Fashion School.
Asha began building her fashion business while at university and later developed it into a clothing brand. She also established Tesi Fashion School to train people interested in fashion and design.
Her work has earned recognition at Ugandan fashion and entertainment awards, while her designs have also been showcased beyond Uganda.
Allan Raphael Kasule
Allan Raphael Kasule is the designer behind Krafael Couture, a Kampala-based fashion and costume-design brand.
Kasule works in customised fashion and costume design and is also a fashion illustrator and animator. His interest in fashion began at an early age, influenced in part by his grandmother, Princess Elizabeth Nakabiri, who was herself a designer.
His work has included designs for public figures and entertainers, while his business has focused on customised clothing and costume work.
Stella Atal
Stella Atal is a Ugandan fashion designer and artist whose work combines clothing with painting and textile art.
Atal has developed a design approach centred on fabric, painting and African heritage. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at fashion events in the United States and Switzerland.
She has also worked as an educator, conducting fashion master classes in Paris with a focus on African fashion and heritage.
Santa Anzo
Santa Anzo is the founder and lead designer of ARAPAPA Fashion House and the founder of Uganda International Fashion Week.
Her career in fashion stretches back to the 1990s. She has also been involved in the development of Uganda’s fashion industry through fashion exhibitions, training and industry events.
Uganda International Fashion Week, which she founded, has developed into a platform connecting designers and other creative professionals with markets, buyers and international opportunities.
Anzo previously worked with Sylvia Owori at Zipa Models before establishing ARAPAPA.
Sylvia Owori
Sylvia Owori is a veteran Ugandan fashion entrepreneur whose career has included fashion design, modelling and business.
She founded Zipa Modeling Agency and has also operated fashion businesses in Uganda and the region. She studied fashion design in London before returning to Uganda and establishing her fashion career.
Owori has also been associated with costume work for the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland, although claims about the precise extent of her involvement should be treated separately from her established fashion career.
She is one of the figures who helped shape Uganda’s modelling and fashion industry during its earlier development.
Xenson Ssenkaaba
Xenson Ssenkaaba is a Ugandan artist and fashion designer whose work brings together visual art, African cultural references and contemporary fashion.
His Xenson fashion brand has explored the relationship between African culture, art and contemporary forms of expression. His work has made him a notable figure across both Uganda’s fashion and visual-arts communities.
Other designers
Uganda’s fashion scene extends well beyond the established names above.
Designers and labels such as Sandra Kekirunga of Ihato, Philip Buyi of Kkoolo, Sheila Lukwanzi, Ras Kasozi of Kas Wear, LG Novida Mwana Elaka, Zubert Masuku and other emerging fashion businesses have contributed to the country’s growing design ecosystem.
The industry has also benefited from fashion weeks, award programmes, modelling agencies and training institutions that give designers opportunities to present their work and develop commercial networks.
Uganda International Fashion Week describes its work as extending beyond runway shows to training, mentorship, market access and support for creative businesses.
The country’s fashion industry therefore cannot be defined only by celebrity dressing or red-carpet appearances. Designers work across couture, bridal wear, streetwear, costume design, textile art and ready-to-wear fashion, while industry platforms continue to create opportunities for both established and emerging talent.
