During Milan Fashion Week Women’s, the Afro Fashion Association event celebrates Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent.
Last evening, the awards ceremony for the third edition of the Black Carpet Awards was held at Teatro Manzoni in Milan, under the patronage of the City of Milan and with the support of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Organized by the Afro Fashion Association, the event celebrates Leaders of Change, individuals from all origins and backgrounds who have distinguished themselves through concrete efforts to promote Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity within the creative industry. This edition was particularly significant, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Afro Fashion Association.
The Godmother of this edition was Naomi Campbell, world-renowned supermodel and long-time activist for representation and equity in the industry. The evening was hosted by Tamu McPherson, Creative and Chief of All the Pretty Birds Official, Founder of Shoe Up for Justice, and Corporate Social Responsibility Ambassador for Bulgari.
During the evening, the ten winners of the Leaders of Changeawards were announced, selected from twenty-two finalists across five categories. For each category, two winners were chosen: one selected by the jury and one by the public. This year’s One-Time Award was dedicated to the memory of Koyo Kouoh, the recently deceased curator whose vision and artistic work made a significant contribution to the promotion of African and diasporic art in Italy.
Among the most anticipated moments was the presentation of The New Wave, a video showcasing ten creative talents from around the world.
The Black Carpet Awards have established themselves as a must-attend event on the Milan Fashion Week Women’s calendar: an opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and promote a more inclusive vision of society. In her opening speech, Michelle Francine Ngonmo, Founder and CEO of Afro Fashion Association, stated:
“In a world that often builds walls instead of breaking them down, the Black Carpet Awards aim to remind us that there are voices capable of uniting rather than dividing, and above all that representation creates access. We created the Afro Fashion Association and the Black Carpet Awards to give visibility to those who have been invisible for too long, offering a platform to those who simply ask to be heard. Today, more than ever, it is essential to build rather than destroy, to celebrate differences, and to transform them into collective strength.”
AWARDS AND WINNERS
Category: Leaders of Change
- Leader of Change: Culture – awarded to those leading the discourse on inclusion in their field.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Nogaye Ndiaye
- The winner selected by the Public: Mariam Battistelli
- Leader of Change: Creativity – awarded to those with global creative vision and impact.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Rediet Longo
- The winner selected by the Public: Augusta Carter
- Leader of Change: Community – awarded to those transforming their local communities.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Aya Mohamed
- The winner selected by the Public: Ronke Oluwadare
- Leader of Change: Entrepreneurship – awarded to those innovating inclusive business models.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Antonio Dikele Distefano
- The winner selected by the Public: Caterina Monda & Debrina Aliyah
- Leader of Change: Legacy – awarded to those building and passing on an inclusive, lasting cultural heritage.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Igiaba Scego
- The winner selected by the Public: Leandra Medeiros Cerezo
Category: One-Time Award 2025 dedicated to Koyo Kouoh
The award, granted by the Jury, is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through their commitment to challenging dominant narratives, expanding the boundaries of artistic expression, and contributing to the visibility and prominence of Afro-descendant culture on a global scale.
- The winner selected by the Jury: Janine Gaëlle Dieudji
Category: “The New Wave”
The selected talents: Abbia Maswi, Donald Ngamene, Fambaye Diouf, Immaculate Ruému, Lamine Diop, Lina Simons, Murphy Tomadin, Shivin Singh, Terry Aidoo e Thoé.
The winners were chosen by a distinguished jury, chaired for the third year by founder, Michelle Francine Ngonmo, and composed of prominent professionals from fashion, media, culture, entertainment, activism, and the nonprofit sector, including: Adama Sanneh, Afef Jnifen, Alessia Glaviano, Anna Paola Vergani, Andi Nganso, Boringnotcom, Carlo Capasa, Carlos Nazario, Carolina Aldrovandi, Celia Sears, Cristina Baruzzi, Del Titus Bawuah, Diana Marian Murek, Edward Buchanan, Francesca Ragazzi, Fulvia Bacchi, Gabriella Crafa, Gabriella Nobile, Gloria Maria Cappelletti, Honey Dijon, IB Kamara, Isabelle Harvie-Watt, Jordan Anderson, Laetitia Loffredo, Macs Iotti, Marco Bizzarri, Marilena Umuhoza Delli, Marta Sachy, Melisenda Murphy-Solari, Nana Brenu, Nicolas Martin Garcia, Piero Piazzi, Sabina Belli, Sara Sozzani Maino, Silvia Negri, Simon Whitehouse, Simonetta Gianfelici, Stefano Fadda, Stefano Roncato, Stella Jean, Tamu McPherson, Tokyo James, Tyler Mitchell, Valentina Tagliamacco, Victoria Adaeze Ejiogu, Walter D’Aprile, Winta Ghebre and Zaya Guarani.