Canadian brands are always something to be proud of, especially when they combine ethnicities. ANNAFORA is based in Canada but sources material and craftsmanship from Ethiopia. As a brand that brings storytelling to the forefront, it combines visual arts with the aesthetic of avant-garde designs to create pieces like no other. 

Established in 2014 by founder Maida Ghide, as she had a passion for imagining and creating the future with designs that celebrate the beauty in ethnicity. With this passion she has managed to create a brand that is progressive; as an innovative thinker and imaginative creator, she has become a multifaceted artist with an interconnected and multidimensional universe, creating infinite possibilities. 

As a designer she is combatting the injustices that the fashion industry has imposed on Indigenous cultures, like the stealing of their designs, exploiting their labour and destroying their environments. Ghide is embarking on a two-month trip to Ethiopia to educate children, study cultural history and learn about textiles and production. The current project will stand as a statement, asserting that modern technology should be created in alignment with nature and Indigenous people. Ghide intends to create a narrative through research of history, textile, creation design, 3D imaging and augmented reality. 

The garments representing this project will be interpretations of groups like Oromo, Amahara, Tigrinya, Kunama and Afar. This project it will promote peace and unity amongst the cultures and aiding aggression between people, government and companies by artistically celebrating their existence. 

With unique designs and textiles, ANNAFORA creates capsules of collections that speak to the combinations of ethnicities and allow us to value the art of fashion that was created before us. With indigenous connection, this Canadian-based brand is sharing and educating through fashion.