Pamella N'ZE ASSEKO

THE COMPANY

FUNKE is a Beninese ready-to-wear brand whose particularity lies in the use of African artisanal textiles, in particular the woven loincloth of Benin, modernized to make it suitable and comfortable for everyday use. FUNKE creations combine innovation with tradition, symbolizing a bridge between the past and the present of African fashion.

The company addresses two major challenges in the African fashion sector. On the one hand, Benin, the leading cotton producer in Africa, mainly exports its production in raw form, not benefiting from its transformation. On the other hand, there is a growing desire among Africans, both on the continent and in the diaspora, to reconnect with their roots by wearing high-quality clothing, made in Africa.

By transforming Beninese cotton into finished products on site, FUNKE promotes local know-how, reduces its costs while meeting the aspirations of its target audience with clothing made in Africa.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Founder of the FUNKE Fashion House brand, Pamella N'ZE ASSEKO has been in the fashion industry for over a decade. Her passion for fashion began in her early childhood, when she would sketch out clothing designs based on her imagination.

As a model, she walked the catwalks in outfits by the continent's leading designers. Pamella then began Photo Modeling and won, in 2016, the trophy for Best Photo Model at the Beninese Fashion Oscars.

In 2020, keen to contribute on a larger scale to the rise of African fashion, Pamella founded the fashion house FUNKE, a clothing brand that promotes textiles made in Africa, including Kanvo from Benin.

Very sensitive to hand-made products, to the talent of local African artisans and to the importance of using natural materials in the making of sustainable clothing, she designs and creates modern pieces in limited editions.

In 2021, Pamella was one of the winners of the Tony Elumelu Foundation's young entrepreneurs program and participated in YALI Dakar. Thanks to the feats achieved by FUNKE, she successively won the Prize for Recognition of Merit in the Promotion of African Culture in Benin in 2021 and the Citizen Builder Prize in 2022, then in Côte d'Ivoire the NSIA prize from the BJKD Foundation.

Deeply committed to the status of women and female leadership, Pamella places women at the heart of FUNKE. As such, the brand has set up activities allowing young girls and young women in precarious situations to benefit from support in terms of training in the weaving profession, improving know-how and female leadership, through the association Funkè For Women (www.funkeforwomen.com) created in 2022.

"Making a woman independent means contributing to the balance of the family and therefore to that of society," Pamella asserts with conviction.

THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Afrique Créative supports Maison FUNKE in its geographical expansion objectives and in maximizing its social and environmental impact.

The company wishes in particular to increase the visibility of its brand on a global scale, strengthen its team and develop its production capacities, while adopting a social and environmental responsibility approach.

As a responsible company, FUNKE intends to develop a strategy to minimize its environmental impact and implement an effective recycling plan to reduce its waste.

These efforts will strengthen FUNKE’s position as a globally recognized and sustainable African fashion brand.

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