African print and African prom dresses are the rave now. As African fashion takes on global frontiers, international designers, models and fashion enthusiasts are incorporating the boldness amd vibrancy of ethnic design into their fashion labels.

Dresses, skirts, tops and other forms of European cuts are made out of Ankara, kente and kentege fabric. Other African fabrics include dashiki, aso oke and gele.

In this article, we have compiled a list of the latest 2018 trends for African dresses. You don’t want to be left out on the latest African fashion design for prom dresses. So read on to know more.

Cocktail Dress

Cocktail dresses look better in African wax prints!  And we have the pictures to prove this. Cocktail dresses are chic, stylish, almost formal and tend to have shot hemlines, although you could opt for longer dresses with a relaxed look.  African cocktail dresses are usually made from mixed wax prints with vibrant colours.

Mermaid Dress

Mermaid dresses are widely popular for its attractive, figure flattering style.  Mermaid dress, also known as  a fish tail dress fits closely to the torso and hips then fishtails out in a flare to the floor. Mermaid dresses are usually made with silk, taffeta and satin but these days, tailors and fashion designers are using African wax prints to make gorgeous mermaid dresses.

Mermaid dresses made with African wax prints are popularly used to make evening gowns for prom dresses. These dresses are glamorous, and the vibrant colors make you stand out. In West Africa, particularly Nigeria, mermaid dresses are commonly used for aso ebis in weddings.

High Low Dress

High low dresses are semi formal dresses that offer both the elegance of a long evening gown and the youthful style of a short dress. High low dresses are fun, feminine and when made with mixed African prints, high low dresses are eye catching. There are lots of flamboyant designs of high low dresses available,  which are made form African wax print, kente, kentege and even dashiki fabric.

Maxi Dress

Maxi dresses are floor or ankle length dresses that are fitted at the torso and flow to the ankles. Maxi dresses made from African fabrics are full with a lot of details that make it attention  grabbing. These dresses are either made from mixing and matching different styles of African wax prints, or from a single design. Unique designs are also created using sequins, frills, bows, ruffles,  statement sleeves and plunging necklines.  African maxi dresses are perfect Sunday wears for church services, thanksgiving and weddings.

Midi Dress

Midi dresses are mid length dresses with hemlines that fall between the calf and below the knees. African midi dresses are chic, and embellished with sequins, pleats, belts, and any design that makes the dress stand out from the regular midi dress. Apart from wax prints, Midi dresses are also made from other fabrics like dashiki, kente and kentege.

Wrap Dress

Wrap dresses are trendy and very feminine dresses with a V shaped neckline. African wrap dresses are made from wax prints, kente or kentege clothes. They also come with statement bows, belts and sashes to make them stand out from the regular wrap dress.

Iro and Buba Dress

Buba is a Yoruba word for blouse, while iro is a Yoruba word for wrapper. Iro and buba is a trendy dress worn by tucking the buba blouse inside the wrapper and tying the wrapper in a big knot. This style of dress is also known as the modern iro and buba dress and is perfect for Sunday wear, weddings, thanksgiving and prom.

Dashiki Dresses

Dashiki dress is any dress made from dashiki material, a colourful material made in West Africa. Dashiki dress can be midi, maxi, high low, mermaid, or wrap dress.

Peplum Dress

We can’t end this list without mentioning the peplum dress. Peplum dress is made by attaching a flared strip of gathered fabric to the waist of a woman’s dress. African peplum dresses are just as trendy as their counterparts and made with vibrant African print waxes, and other types of African fabrics.  Peplum dresses are perfect for formal wear and also as prom dresses.

Cold Shoulder Dress

Cold shoulder dresses are absolutely gorgeous and very feminine. Cold shoulder dresses  have straps to keep the dress in place but are cut to bare the shoulders. African cold shoulder dresses are made using ankara, kente, kentegeand other African fabrics.

Now you know the latest African fashion trending this season. Have a yard or two of gorgeous African fabrics to spare? Make an appointment with your African fashion designer today. Which style do you have in mind? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.