Africa Fashion Week London is proud to announce a new partnership with Disney’s THE LION KING for AFWL2025.
The collaboration will open the 7pm catwalk showcase on Saturday, 9 August at Space House, London, with a special performance from Disney’s award-winning West End musical, THE LION KING. AFWL2025 audiences will experience the power of The Circle of Life, the opening track from the iconic show.
Since performances began at the Lyceum Theatre in 1999 more than 20 million people have experienced Disney’s THE LION KING in London. Every performance takes 150 people, with 50 on stage and 100 backstage along with 232 puppets and 350 different costumes. Its inclusion in Africa Fashion Week London 2025 promises a powerful celebration of African culture through music, movement, and visuals.
Now celebrating its 15th season, Africa Fashion Week London continues to champion African and diaspora designers, showcasing bold fashion innovation, heritage-inspired craftsmanship, and emerging talent. This year’s partnership with Disney Theatrical Group celebrates the shared values of creativity, cultural pride, and the power of performance to inspire and unite.
Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, Founder of Africa Fashion Week London, said “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Disney Theatrical to bring something truly magical to this year’s catwalk. The Lion King has deep cultural resonance and global appeal, making it the perfect way to open our most ambitious show yet.”
Tickets for Africa Fashion Week London 2025 are available now via the website www.africafashionweeklondonuk.com.
About Africa Fashion Week London
Africa Fashion Week London’s annual catwalk and exhibition event is one of the world’s largest and longest-running showcases of African and African-inspired fashion & design.
Now in its 15th year, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) has hosted almost 3000 emerging and established designers and exhibitors to 75,000 visitors, including buyers, retailers, industry professionals and global media.
Overall, 26 African countries and 67 countries have been represented, including diaspora designers from Brazil, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the Americas. Additionally, AFWL has produced 12 third-party events such as the Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia and Meltdown Festival, The Mayor of London’s Africa on the Square, and The Africa Centre’s Summer Festival.
Such is the importance of AFWL, that the initiative positively impacts, directly and indirectly, over 5000 individuals annually including SMEs, designers, tailors, textile designers, students, visitors, models, stylists, photographers, journalists, caterers, artists, tech and production staff and lovers of fashion.
About AFWL Founder, Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi
African Fashion Week London was created in 2011 by Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi to increase the visibility, awareness and sustainability of African and Black fashion brands through catwalk showcases, exhibitions and education.
Queen Ronke is also the founder of Africa Fashion Week Nigeria, the Adire Oodua Textile Hub in Nigeria and co-founder of Africa Fashion Week Brazil.
About Disney Theatrical Group
DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart and Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its ten Broadway titles have been seen by more than 200 million theatregoers and have been nominated for 62 Tony® Awards, winning Broadway’s highest honour 20 times.
The company’s inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994, playing a remarkable 13-year run on Broadway and continues to be produced in replica productions around the world over four decades. In November 1997, Disney made theatrical history with the opening of The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Director, Julie Taymor, who became the first woman in Broadway history to win the award. Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, it has welcomed over 124 million visitors worldwide to date and has multiple productions currently running worldwide.
The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica and its worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or entertainment title in box office history. Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony Awards.
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