By: Sainabou Sambou
The Gambia International Fashion Week (GIFW) will hold its official casting call on 18 October 2026 at Arch 22 in Banjul as preparations for the event’s fourth edition advance.
The casting is open to aspiring models, designers and stylists from across the country who have completed the official registration process. Check-in begins at 12:30 p.m., with the session running until 6:30 p.m. Registered participants must attend dressed entirely in black.
The fourth edition of GIFW is scheduled for 10 to 17 November 2026 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo. The main runway show is set for 15 November.
This year’s event carries the theme “Roots to Runway – Luxury Born in Gambia,” with sustainability at its core. Ismaila Jallow, founder and CEO of GIFW, described the casting as the first major step toward the November runway.
“GIFW is about giving young Gambians a real stage and a real future in fashion. This casting is the first step toward the runway in November,” Jallow said.
He explained that the 2026 edition will center on three pillars: recycling and material reuse, promoting locally produced fashion through the Made in Gambia initiative, and creating social and educational opportunities for young designers. A new competition element will offer winning designers the chance to undertake study trips to leading fashion universities in Europe and Africa.
Founded in 2023 as a non-profit platform, GIFW aims to give young Gambians in the fashion industry—designers, stylists, models and other creatives—greater visibility, training and career development opportunities both locally and internationally. Jallow noted that the platform also seeks to position fashion as a viable creative industry and offer young people alternatives to irregular migration to Europe.
Organizers expect the fourth edition to showcase Gambian fashion, creativity and talent while highlighting locally produced materials and sustainable practices.
