What Tyla, Burna Boy, and Other African Stars Got up to at Paris Fashion Week

As expected, Paris Fashion Week was abuzz with exciting activity, and the 2025 Fall/Winter season that just concluded yesterday was no exception. Both familiar icons and fresh faces graced the carpets of fashion shows and installations. Designers unveiled inventive outfits and performances on theatrical runways while some of the world's most prestigious and fast-rising voices in fashion served up their latest perspectives. With African stars continuing their steady global ascent, their presence at international fashion weeks has become a fixture, and this year, they truly shone — attending shows, presenting installations and even closing runway presentations.

Below are some ways African stars showed out at the recently concluded Paris Fashion Week 2025 Fall/Winter.

South African brand Maxhosa, renowned for its knitwear and heritage-inspired pieces, presented its latest collection featuring a bold and subversive blend of heritage-inspired prints on contemporary cuts and silhouettes. Founded by Laduma Ngxokolo, Maxhosa's latest collection is a well-studied, brilliantly produced pattern that draws inspiration from Xhosa ancestry. For this collection, Maxhosa prioritizes bright colors, androgynous and playful cuts, pearl-studded two pieces with classic, deconstructed suit structures and tracksuits featuring the signature swirl design on many of Maxhosa's designs.

Always one to make a statement, Nigerian Street-pop star Asake attended three fashion shows during his week in Paris. The "Joha" singer first appeared at Casablanca's AH25 in a sleek biker ensemble — a tight-fitting leather jacket and high boots, completed with a black helmet featuring striking green streaks.

For his appearance at the Off-White show, where he filmed a "Get Ready With Me" video for GQ, Asake opted for army green in a two-piece set from the brand. His outfit for this show — now under the creative direction of Sierra Leonean-born stylist and editor IB Kamara — featured a silver button-studded jacket paired with form-fitting pants looped with a silver chain, dark Off-White glasses and camouflage-painted nails.

South African popstar Tyla made history with her February British Vogue cover. During Paris Fashion Week, she was the guest of honor at a splashy, star-studded celebration hosted by the magazine. British Vogue's Head of Editorial Content, Chioma Nnadi, attended alongside notable figures, including American rapper Ice Spice, British cultural personality Alexa Chung, and model Serena Forrest.

For the occasion, Tyla wore an eye-catching deconstructed suit dress with a dramatic full tutu. During her speech, she acknowledged the significance of the moment and what appearing on Vogue's cover meant to her personally.

Burna Boy closes off the Off-White show

Wearing a puffy leather jacket and shorts ensemble, Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy closed the Off-White Fall Winter show titled "State of Resistance." With his dreads plaited away from his face and dark, imposing sunglasses, Burna gave off a commanding, official persona as he walked down the bright, dome-like runway. This new side mission comes after the release of his latest single, "Update," a club-ready, braggadocious track that samples Soul II Soul's "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)."

For her first appearance in the Fall/Winter Paris Fashion Week season, Tems played with symmetry, wearing a form-fitting, mid-length black dress, a rich black fur coat, and blown-out auburn hair that framed her face. She kept the accessories spare, only spotting slim, missable silver chains and earrings. And for her time at the Dior Womenswear show, the "Love Me Jeje" singer wore an off-shoulder black jacket top and ankle-length skirt with a statement-making beret. She kept her hair fuller, curled with spare make-up, and hardly any accessories except a clutch and tiny earrings.