Congolese Model Noëlla Musunka becomes 2013 AFW London Amb.
Africa
Fashion Week London (AFWL) organisers are delighted to welcome model and
philantrophist Noëlla Coursaris Musunka who joins fellow ambassador,
Ghanaian model and philanthropist Menaye Donkor Muntari, and champion of
African fashion, as a AFWL 2013 Ambassador for the third edition of the fashion
event taking place from 1st to 3rd August, 2013.
Africa
Fashion Week London 2013 will see over 100 African designers and exhibitors
showcasing their designs at the event, taking place in the impressive Truman
Brewery space, just off Brick Lane. This years’ AFWL is set to be bigger and
better than ever, and will be the largest fashion event in Europe dedicated to
African and African-inspired fashion. Organisers are expecting over 25,000
people to attend the event over the course of the three days.
Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is the founder of
Georges Malaika Foundation as well as an internationally renowned model who has
graced the pages of a number of fashion magazines such as Vanity Fair, Arena
Magazine, NewAfricanWoman, Arise
Magazine and led a number of other fashion campaigns such as that of Agent
Provocateur.
Born in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo and raised in Belgium and Switzerland, after achieving a degree in
business management, Noëlla moved to London and embarked on a career in
international modelling. Her successful modelling career brought Noella to New
York where in 2007, in tandem with her active modeling career, she started the
Georges Malaika Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Noëlla, which
is dedicated to providing all the tools necessary for young girls and
communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to unlock their potential
through education.
A fierce activist who works towards the
empowerment of African girls and women, Noëlla has spoken at the UN and at the Kinshasa Parliament, and has had
her work featured on the BBC’s Focus Africa. She spoke during the Opening
Plenary of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting and she hosted the
2013 Cinema for Peace Gala for Humanity, where Ben Affleck received an award
for his work in DR Congo.
On her
appointment as AFWL Ambassador 2013, Noëlla said: "I am honored to be an
ambassador for AFWL 2013 as I strongly believe in the power of fashion to
inspire and connect people. I am delighted to be representing African designers
and to help them showcase their talents for the world."
Named as a “major modern-day activist” by CNN in 2010, Noëlla attended the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting 2012
addressing President Bill Clinton during the Opening Plenary, highlighting
GMF’s work in the Congo. She also hosted Cinema for Peace New York 2013 in Los
Angeles where Ben Affleck was awarded for his work in the Congo. In January
2013, Noëlla received one of the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s GOOD Awards honoring
her for outstanding leadership and for GMF’s positive impact in the DRC.
Ronke
Ademiluyi, the founder and CEO of AFWL welcomed Noëlla Coursaris Musunka back
to AFWL with these words:
“Not
just a pretty face, Noëlla is a talented, intelligent and passionate
champion of Africa and a great role model for young Africans. We are delighted
to have her on board and supporting this year’s event as one of our ambassadors
and we look forward to hosting her at The Old Truman Brewery this August.”
With
Mrs. Fifi Ejindu, the Nigeria-based architect and businesswoman and Yinka Shonibare
MBE, the London-based globally celebrated Nigerian fine artist as patrons, with
official hair sponsor L’Oreal Mizani and official media sponsor NewAfricanWoman, this year's event once
again promises to be a huge success.
With
still a few spaces left for runway and exhibition space, Africa Fashion Week
London 2013 is accepting applications from designers who wish to showcase on
the runway and/or exhibit their merchandise over the three-day exhibition.
