The Tanzania Fashion Festival celebrates its eighth edition with a dazzling showcase that brings together designers, models, and fashion lovers in a vibrant display of style and creativity, reaffirming its place at the heart of Tanzania’s growing fashion scene
The Tanzania Fashion Festival (TFF) returns on Saturday, October 18, bringing together designers, models, and style enthusiasts under one roof at the elegant Delta by Marriott in Dar es Salaam. Marking the eighth edition, the evening is a statement of growth, resilience, and creative evolution.
This year’s event marks a symbolic homecoming. “And not only is it our eighth, it is a homecoming celebration. Eight years ago, we start right here… it is then DoubleTree, now Delta by Marriott. So the entire edition carries that feeling of coming home,” shares Niler Bernard, one of the event’s key coordinators.
The Tanzania Fashion Festival, founded in 2018 by fashion entrepreneur and former TV fashion presenter Deogratius Kithama, evolves from a modest showcase into a large-scale creative platform for emerging designers.
“The idea of creating a beautiful event grows into something much bigger,” says Kithama. “We now have a stage where young designers can present collections that reflect the changing identity of Tanzanian fashion.”
Guests are welcomed into a pink-and-white-themed venue, lavishly decorated to reflect the evening’s sponsor, Brutal Fruit, whose pastel tones add a touch of playful sophistication.
From the very entrance, it is clear that this is a celebration of both fashion and experience, a blend of glamour, inclusivity, and local pride.
Inside the venue, runway seating runs down the centre, while the edges of the room transform into lounge-style high-top tables, ambient lighting, and a DJ booth ready to take over after the main show.
What stands out most are three things: inclusivity of style, as guests arrive in looks as diverse as the designers themselves, sculptural tailoring, Afro-streetwear, bold prints, and minimalist metallics.
It is a true reflection of Tanzania’s fashion sensibility, experimental yet grounded in identity.
Another is a seamless shift from presentation to celebration, as the show transitions into live music and DJ sets, and the room’s energy evolves naturally from runway focus to afterparty ease.
A gradual energy build-up, early segments of the evening are measured and elegant, but as the night deepens, so does the energy.
The crowd loosens up, the music pulses louder, and the runway becomes a stage of confidence.
Still, not everyone is entirely satisfied.
A first-time attendee and model describes the night as impressive but uneven in pace, balancing admiration with honest reflection.
“Actually, the show is nice, it is big, and there are so many people,” she says, sharing that the setup looks great and creates an immediate sense of glamour.
“But after a while, it starts to feel a bit boring.” She explains that while she admires the scale and ambition of the event, the flow of the show could be tighter.
“There are many designers, and as the show goes on, things start to slow down,” she adds.
“People begin leaving before the end. The best designers are scheduled last, so only those of us who know them stay to watch.”
The model also points to the venue layout as a factor.
“Maybe the seating arrangement plays a part,” she notes. “The chairs are set up facing each other like it is a party, not directly toward the runway. Because of that, people seem distracted, like they aren’t really focused on the fashion show itself.”
Her reflections capture what many first-time guests might feel, a sense of wonder at the spectacle, mixed with a hope for better pacing and audience engagement in future editions.
It is constructive feedback and one that the organisers are likely to take to heart.
Niler Bernard acknowledges that growth and improvement are part of what keeps TFF dynamic.
“What others can learn from TFF,” she shares, “is that we take the event seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We’re playful, we explore, and we enjoy the whole process. It’s not so intense.”
She further adds, “What I’ve really learnt from Deo is the value of consistency, he’s kept the same core team for years.”
As Miss Bernard put it, “Every year we ask, ‘What did we do wrong last year? What can we do better?’ And that helps us grow.”
She adds that the teamwork and open-mindedness extend beyond TFF itself.
“Not only can people learn from the Tanzania Fashion Festival,” says Niler, “but we can also learn from other events. We should be more open, attend each other’s shows, see what works and what doesn’t, and keep building together. That’s how the industry grows.”
For Niler, this year’s edition feels “bigger and better,” both in scale and in emotion. “The venue is larger, we have more guests, and we are able to explore more in terms of design and setup,” she explains.
“Everything just clicks. It is different from our usual setups; there is a defined entry space, VIP section, and guest zone. Everything feels elevated.”
Asked about her favourite moments, Niler doesn’t hesitate.
“The best collection for me is Bilanfacon, those dresses are exceptional. The models look stunning.”
She further adds that another highlight comes when the House of Pumus is showcasing, and there was a little hiccup with the electricity.
“But the models didn’t stop, they walked with their own energy, without music, and the crowd started cheering. That’s when I know we have done something right in preparing them. It becomes one of the most powerful moments of the night.”
By the end of the evening, as music takes over and the runway gives way to celebration, there is a sense of pride that Tanzanian fashion is not just about clothes but about confidence, creativity, and collaboration.
TFF’s eighth edition reflects that perfectly, a mix of glitz, imperfection, and heart. It is a reminder that fashion in Tanzania is no longer confined to catwalks or boutiques but is a growing cultural conversation.
As the lights dim and guests linger over final photos and farewells, the Tanzania Fashion Festival once again cements its role as the heartbeat of contemporary Tanzanian style, glamorous, evolving, and always unapologetically bold.
