24 September 2010, 05:00 p.m.

When it comes to the process of launching something new, whether it's a new fashion label or any new product, creativity is more important than money.

"What we lacked in in budget, we made up for in perseverance and dedication," said fashion designer Idyl Mohallim.

Ms. Mohallim, along with her identical twin sister Ayaan, runs the New York based fashion label Mataano. The label (which means Twins in their native Somali language) was one of the featured  workshops that took place on Friday during the Hub of Africa Fashion Week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The sisters told the audience about their own journey into fashion label ownership. While they liked fashion, they studied other things at university. But when it came time to get jobs, they decided to follow their hearts and get involved in the industry. But how did they go from fashion novices to insiders in a short period of time? Old fashioned hard work, they said. The sisters took internships and jobs in different aspects of the industry to learn what they didn't know.

Courtesy of Goregeous New York

"We packed out bags, moved to New York," said Ayaan. "We started interning where we could. Passion. Motivation. Persistence. That's what drove us."

The talk from the Mataano designers was part of a series of workshops that place during the three-day event. Under the banner "United the Industry for Sustainable Development Through Fashion" organizers said they wanted to respond to the growing need in society to focus on sustainable development and growth. To do this, the event has brought in designers from across the continent to showcase their fashion, as well as industry insiders who could encourage and mentor up-and coming designers.

One such insider talk was from Nicola Thornley, former product development manager for Burberry. She walked participants through some of the requirements that global fashion labels need from producers in other countries. The standards are exacting, down to the size of the boxes things are packed in, but not insurmountable, for the continent, she said. 

"I believe there is space in the industry for Africa," she said. "But I want you to see what the challenges are."

Joanna Maiden, who runs the social enterprise SOKO , based in Kenya, explained the difficulties small producers face trying to work with big fashion labels. SOKO, which provides ethically sourced and locally produced materials for fashion labels in the UK using African skills and labour, called working with fashion labels difficult.

"It's a culture clash," she said. "But we are trying to link the cultures. It's about respecting heritage, yet making it relevant."

Hub of Africa Fashion Week has brought together designers and fashion industry insiders from across Africa to show case their latest designs and share knowledge. The event ends 25 September.