Dar es Salaam. At just 27, Anjali Borkhataria, the founder and creative director of fashion brand Ekantik, is proving that Tanzanian creativity belongs on the global stage.
From humble beginnings sketching designs on her dining table, she has risen to become one of Africa’s most promising fashion voices—earning her a coveted spot on the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list for 2025.
“I’m not just building a brand—I’m building belief,” says Borkhataria. “If a young girl from Tanzania can turn culture into couture and dreams into impact, then the world better be ready—because we’re not just next, we’re now.”
Borkhataria’s fashion journey began after graduating from a fashion programme in Cape Town in 2018. Her graduate collection made its debut in Waah, a high-profile music video by Tanzanian music icon Diamond Platnumz and Congolese legend Koffi Olomide.
The designs caught Olomide’s attention, who purchased several items, earning Borkhataria $1,500 in sales—seed money she used to buy fabric and start designing from her home.
"That money was the spark," she recalls. "I started making pieces at home—right on my dining table."
From there, Borkhataria's star has only risen. She has since collaborated with Reebok South Africa, launching her Love In Its Purest Form collection during South African Men’s Wear Week in Cape Town.
This year, she broke new ground again by becoming the first Tanzanian designer to showcase a pop-up at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, one of the world’s most prestigious department stores.
But perhaps her proudest moment is yet to come—she is currently designing an outfit for President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
"After an interview on Wasafi Media, I spoke about my dream of dressing President Samia," she explains. "When she later commented on one of my Instagram posts, I was overwhelmed. Now, I’m in the process of designing her outfit. It’s humbling."
Borkhataria says being recognised by Forbes is not just a personal triumph but a national one.
"It’s a win for Tanzania, for our creative industry, and for every young person who dares to dream beyond limitations," she says. “This is just the beginning. I hope this moment inspires more young Tanzanians to trust their vision and know that we belong on global stages too.”
Driven by a deep belief in fashion as storytelling, Borkhataria sees her work as a mission to shift perceptions about African creativity.
“Fashion is a powerful tool—not just for identity, but to tell our stories,” she says. “To take elements of our culture and turn them into something the world can wear, see, and respect. That’s the mission.”
With each stitch and silhouette, Anjali Borkhataria is redefining what Tanzanian fashion can be—and showing the world that African style is not just rising, it's here.
