YAWA CONATEH

Yawa Conateh, widely known as “YAWS,” is a Gambian Creative. She is the Founder of YAWS, an African fashion and lifestyle brand established in 2007.

With almost two decades of experience in the creative industries, Yawa has built YAWS into a distinctive creative brand rooted in African cultural heritage, contemporary design, craftsmanship, lifestyle and creative expression. Her work spans fashion, creative direction, interior and event décor, event curation, cultural projects and creative enterprise.

Beyond building a fashion brand, Yawa has consistently used creativity as a platform for community engagement, cultural development, entrepreneurship, social impact and empowerment. In 2013, she created F.A.C.E. — Fashion, Arts, Culture and Entertainment, a three-day multidisciplinary platform designed to bring creative disciplines together and generate greater energy and collaboration within The Gambia's creative sector.

Her commitment to women and young people is reflected through initiatives such as Young Women Trailblazers, mentorship and skills development, and her involvement with the Gaye Njorro Skills Academy. Her work also includes Holy Tex, an upcycling initiative exploring the transformation of fashion offcuts and pre-loved materials into new fashion and lifestyle products.

Yawa's professional journey has taken her across Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States through international leadership programmes, fashion platforms, exhibitions, trade engagements, cultural exchanges and market-development opportunities. Her international engagements include the United States International Visitors Leadership Program, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin, FIMO Togo, Rhythms on the Runway Ghana, ECOWAS' 50th Anniversary celebrations in Nigeria, and a 2026 Women's Capacity Building Programme in China.

At the heart of Yawa's philosophy is the belief that African culture is not simply something to preserve, it is a powerful foundation for creativity, enterprise, employment, innovation and global opportunity. She champions an approach where African brands can enter international markets without losing the cultural identity that makes them unique.

Today, her vision extends beyond the growth of YAWS. She seeks to contribute to a stronger Gambian and African creative economy, one that creates employment, develops skills, supports artisans, empowers women and young people, promotes sustainability, preserves cultural heritage and opens pathways to international markets.

HER VISION
“To build bridges between heritage and innovation, creativity and commerce, local identity and global opportunity.”