The Second edition of the Atoghu Fashion Festival opens in Bamenda on Saturday 26th April 2025.
The festival which will last for two days will unfold at the premises of Club 58 Upstation and will group top fashion designers in Atoghu around the North West Region.
Placed under the theme; "One brand, one people, the identity of the grass field," the festival seeks to showcase the rich atoghu designs, story telling, inspire creativity in the minds of designers and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the North West Region.
Speaking in a press conference in Bamenda, Tuesday 22nd April 2025, the President of North West Fashion Designers Association (NOFADA, Vumomsi Ngwefonta, said the second edition will feature stories of the old, how the atoghu has developed over time and the festival will also help to solidify "our connection to our roots." Vumomsi said.
According to Caroline Fombosoh, the Divisional Delegate of Arts and Culture for Mezam, the plan to ensure that the identity of the North West which is the atoghu be given its rightful place in the dress code of the region. To this end, there is a proposal for a day where the dress code across the region will be the atoghu. The proposal she says is currently at the table of the Governor of the North West Region.
The festival will be preceded by a workshop on Friday with Fashion Designers. The President, Vumomsi Ngwefonta says this will be an opportunity to drill the fashion designers on which designs are meant for which category of people especially as designs meant only for traditional rulers have been flooding the markets. This workshop will also seek to spark the creativity of the fashion designers and will involve researchers, cultural and creative industry experts.
The Press
A caravan to mobilize the population ahead of the festival will take place on Thursday while the festival will open at exactly 9am on Saturday 26th April 2025 with a caravan from Customs Junction to Club 58.
This year's event will also feature an improved number of persons with disabilities. According to Nogning Armelle, the focal point for persons with disabilities, she said the number of participants has increased from seven in 2024 to 20 in 2025. Worthy of note is that the best dressed person in 2024 was a person with disability.
The second edition of the Atoghu Fashion Festival is sponsored by the North West Cooperative Association, NWCA, MTN, Bafut Cooperative Credit Union, the SEEPD of the CBC Health Services, ebase, Premier Security and CCC.
One of the sponsors, Bafut Cooperative Credit Union Limited noted that the festival is very important and is a unique opportunity to promote and preserve the culture of the North West.
"It is a festival that is very important and we don't want to be left behind. At Bafut Credit Union, it is a place where your dreams meet reality." A representative said.
The Credit Union has been existing for 60 years and is committed to sponsoring local initiatives like this.
The main goal of the festival in 2025 is to get the atoghu to every household at an affordable price.
The festival will close on Sunday April 27th, 2025.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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