University of Westminster launches Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurs Programme at King’s Birthday Party in Kigali

The programme launched at the King’s Birthday Party in Kigali on 27 November, where eight Rwandan fashion entrepreneurs were tasked to create an outfit for the British High Commissioner to Rwanda and Westminster alumna H.E Alison Thorpe to wear to the event. The design brief was approved by Robert Leach, Course Leader for the Fashion Design BA Honours course at Westminster, and gave the designers the chance to showcase their talents.

The winning designer was Patrick Muhire and his brand Inkanda and the runner up was Asterie Hitimana with her brand Twinkle by Asty. Both outfits were worn by H.E Thorpe at the event, while the other designs were showcased at an exhibition during the festivities.

Winner Patrick Muhire said: “When I got the idea of designing an outfit for the British High Commissioner I felt goosebumps and in my head I said ‘wow, thanks to God for choosing me among many’. I was excited for sure and very happy!”

H.E. Thorpe said: "I have seen amazing designs from amazing designers and what has amazed me the most is how extremely different they are. It has been a lot of fun trying on the outfits and seeing all the different ways the designers have interpreted the brief of bringing Rwanda and Britain together in an incredible piece of clothing.”

H.E Alison Thorpe and Patrick Muhire at King's Birthday Party

The designers also receive funds from the University through the Ignite Fund, as a recognition of their contribution to the outfits they produced for this phase of the project. The Ignite Fund supports students and graduates with work-related opportunities. The fund is part of the University’s Zone29 offering, which will also see the opening of the Zone29 building in Spring 2026, providing students and graduates with access to work-related programmes, opportunities and experiences.

The high-profile diplomatic event marked the first stage of the multi-phase programme, with this phase being supported by a #weavingtogether campaign on social media run by the University of Westminster and through short films, celebrating the fashion entrepreneurs’ stories, and offering a behind-the-curtain look at the development of the outfits.

Developed as a whole-university project, the programme is anchored through the University of Westminster’s Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation (CETI) with support from colleagues across the University.

The second phase is set to start in January 2026 with the fashion entrepreneurs starting an online accelerator programme where they will meet industry experts and gain insight on how to scale up their businesses. This will culminate in a visit to the UK in Spring 2026 with a Made-in-Rwanda Fashion Week in London, where the entrepreneurs will learn from Westminster academics and students, engage with buyers and investors, connect with Westminster alumni and industry experts and showcase their collections.

Muhire said: “I have been to different countries in Europe but I have never been to the UK, so the opportunity to go to London to showcase my creativity is just the icing on the cake, with the cherry on top! I thank the British High Commission in Rwanda and the University of Westminster for giving me as well as my fellow fashion designers the opportunity to come out of the shell!”

Westminster students, including those studying on the Fashion Business Management with Professional Experience BA Honours course and a range of Business and Management courses, will play a central role in the project through a series of live, practice-based assessments embedded across multiple disciplines.

For example, Fashion Business students on a Visual Merchandising module will work with the designers to show how their collection can be presented in London, and Business Management students will produce tailored marketing plans for the Best of Both Boutique, a Brixton venue set to host Rwanda Fashion Week next year.

The initiative will also be supported by students in the new Co-Creating Rwanda’s Future Vertical Integrated Project. These first-year participants will contribute digital artefacts for the 2026 showcase event with potential outputs including a podcast featuring the entrepreneurs, students and key stakeholders involved in the programme.

The Rwanda programme’s Academic Lead is Darrell Kofkin, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship in the School of Organisations, Economy and Society, who is co-leading this project with Dr Antonia Strachey from the British High Commission in Rwanda.

H.E Alison Thorpe and runner up Asterie Hitimana

H.E Thorpe said: “We have designed this project because when I came to Rwanda I was enthusiastic about Rwandan fashion and luckily so were some of my colleagues in the High Commission. So we came together to devise a project with the University of Westminster to help the Rwandan fashion designers take their produce to a more international market. So, the second phase of the project is how we can work with them through the University on business development so that they can become export ready and take their fashion and designs to the UK market.”

Darrell Kofkin said: “Building on our development work in Rwanda since 2017, the Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurship Programme reflects the University’s commitment to shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs and change-makers. This initiative is about more than fashion; it’s about fostering creativity, sustainability and inclusive economic growth. By connecting academic expertise with real-world impact, we are creating opportunities that bridge cultures and drive innovation, contributing to a vibrant creative economy and lasting social change.”

Jordan Scammel, Head of Development and Fundraising at the University of Westminster, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that these incredible entrepreneurs are being supported through our Ignite Fund. This initiative perfectly demonstrates the power of philanthropy to drive international exchange and build powerful, long-term collaboration opportunities with esteemed alumni like H.E. Ali Thorpe. It was a pleasure to be a part of the King’s Birthday Party in Kigali and witness firsthand the exceptional work of the fashion entrepreneurs we are supporting.”

The Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurs Programme directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education, 10: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 17: Partnership for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

Find out about the School of Organisations, Economy and Society and School of Arts at the University of Westminster.

Learn more about the Ignite Fund and how to support aspiring professionals.

Discover the University of Westminster’s new home for careers and enterprise, Zone29.

Photo credit: Moon Galaxy Media