Bridging Africa and China through style

From dazzling showrooms at Shanghai Fashion Week to a bold new showcase at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, Kenyan entrepreneur and former diplomat Hannah Ryder is redefining what it means to wear culture with pride. In this interview, Ryder shares how she and her team select designers who embody both tradition and innovation.

Even on-site, the fusion is visible: Chinese staffer Chen Huiyi pairs a Rwandan-designed blouse with hanfu in effortless harmony. "The best way to preserve a traditional culture is to 'wear it out,' letting more people see it and also fuse it with daily life," she says. "That's also what our African designers hope to do."