MTC Windhoek Fashion Week returns from 5 to 7 November for 2026 edition, bringing together 33 designers from Namibia and four other countries for a showcase of fashion, craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
The MTC Windhoek Fashion Week will take place at Maerua Mall, continuing its role as a platform for Namibian designers while creating opportunities for international exposure and collaboration. This year’s participating designers come from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Angola and Germany.
Founder Luis Munana says the event will maintain its focus on giving designers the freedom to present their latest collections without being restricted by a particular theme. He explained that themes are usually introduced when an event is built around a specific celebration or message. For Windhoek Fashion Week, however, the priority remains promoting Namibian fashion and providing designers with a platform to showcase their work.
That approach has helped the event develop beyond a local fashion showcase. Namibian designers are increasingly gaining opportunities to participate in international fashion platforms, speak at industry discussions and engage in exchanges with designers from other countries.
Maerua Mall will host the event for the seventh consecutive year. Its facilities provide space for the different elements of the production, including backstage preparations, audience arrangements and runway presentations.
This year’s edition will also take fashion beyond the traditional runway setting. Organisers are extending part of the showcase to Independence Avenue, allowing members of the public to watch the presentations without necessarily attending the main event.
Munana says the decision is intended to make fashion more accessible and introduce the industry to people who may not normally attend fashion shows. He believes the creative sector should be open to everyone, not limited to designers, industry professionals and established fashion audiences.
The international line-up will include a continuation of the partnership between Windhoek Fashion Week and the Durban Fashion Fair. Now in its third year, the exchange programme provides opportunities for two Namibian designers to showcase their work in South Africa, while two South African designers travel to Windhoek to present their collections.
The programme offers designers exposure to different audiences and fashion markets, strengthening professional connections between the two countries.
Traditional clothing will also take a central place in this year’s programme. The event opens on Thursday with a showcase dedicated to traditional attire, with the spotlight on garments from Namibia’s Zambezi region. Previous editions have featured traditional clothing associated with the Damara/Nama and Ovaherero communities.
For Munana, including traditional dress is an important part of connecting contemporary fashion with the country’s cultural history. Traditional garments carry stories about identity, heritage and social change, while giving younger generations an opportunity to understand how clothing traditions have developed over time.
The organisers see this connection between heritage and modern design as an important part of the event’s identity. Rather than treating traditional clothing as something separate from the contemporary fashion industry, the showcase creates space for both to be presented on the same platform.
Munana also wants to challenge assumptions about Namibia’s ability to compete internationally in fashion. He argues that the country’s relatively small population should not be mistaken for a lack of creative talent or commercial potential.
He points to the craftsmanship and originality of Namibian designers as evidence that the country’s fashion industry can compete beyond its domestic market. Through international participation, designer exchanges and opportunities to present collections abroad, Windhoek Fashion Week continues to build connections that could help local talent reach wider audiences.
The 11th edition brings together these different ambitions: supporting Namibian designers, creating international partnerships and keeping traditional clothing part of the country’s evolving fashion conversation.
