South African fashion leaders Colleen Eitzen and Stephen Manzini are in Moscow this week for the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, which took place from September 28 to 30.

Eitzen, co-founder of The Space, and Manzini, CEO of Soweto Fashion Week, are representing South Africa at the gathering, which brings together fashion professionals from different countries to discuss the industry, business and opportunities in international markets.

For Eitzen, the event is another opportunity to connect South African designers with people working in other parts of the world. Through The Space, she has spent years working with emerging designers and giving new brands an opportunity to reach customers. The platform has been part of the careers of designers including Onkgopotse Mashika and Durban-born Sibu Msimang. Having a good collection is only part of running a fashion business. Designers also need to understand their customers, manage their businesses and build brands that can compete in different markets.

Manzini has taken a similar approach through Soweto Fashion Week, which has provided a platform for South African designers to showcase their work and connect with audiences. His work has also helped keep attention on fashion coming from townships and other parts of South Africa.

The Moscow summit has brought together a number of African fashion industry figures. Among them are Susan Sabet from the Egyptian Fashion and Design Council, Mahlet Teklemariam of Hub of Africa Fashion Week in Ethiopia and Tery Carola of Seychelles Fashion Week.

Their participation gives the African delegates an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss some of the challenges facing designers and fashion businesses on the continent. The BRICS+ Fashion Summit took place alongside Moscow Fashion Week, which ran from September 26 to October 1.

The discussions which were done covered areas beyond fashion shows and clothing. Manufacturing, access to markets, supply chains, pricing and intellectual property are all important issues for designers trying to grow their businesses.