Banke Kuku, founder and creative director of Banke Kuku Textiles, reveals how she built one of Africa’s most recognizable luxury fashion brands, worn by Gabrielle Union, Lupita Nyong’o, and Beyoncé, from her living room in Lagos to global runways.In this exclusive episode of the Afropolitan Podcast, Banke opens up about the brutal realities of building a “Made in Nigeria” brand, surviving COVID after investing every penny, and redefining African luxury for a global audience.She explains: ◼️ How she pivoted overnight during COVID to save her entire business ◼️ Why she refused to move manufacturing abroad despite the challenges ◼️ The hard truth about funding, quality control, and integrity in African fashion ◼️ What investors actually look for when backing creative entrepreneurs ◼️ Why staying patient, purpose-driven, and ethical is her biggest competitive edgeIf you’re a designer, founder, or dreamer building something out of Africa, this episode will inspire you to create with courage, resilience, and authenticity.Follow Banke KukuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bankekuku/Website: https://www.bankekuku.comSubscribe to Afropolitan PodcastFor more unfiltered conversations with the world's most insightful Africans.Stay connected with Afropolitan: Twitter: https://x.com/afropolitan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afropolitanpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afropolitannation/ Website: https://www.afropolitan.io Join the Network State: https://afropolitan.io/join🔗 Join our community for exclusive updates: afropolitan.io/community Get email updates: https://www.afropolitan.io/newsletterThis episode is sponsored by:VBan — The borderless banking app built for Africa’s digital workforce.Use the code AFROPOLITAN to sign up: https://vban.comInverroche Gin — South Africa’s premium craft gin that fuses heritage botanicals with innovation.Discover more: https://www.inverroche.comRisevest — A digital wealth-manager connecting you to global, dollar-denominated investments in US stocks, real estate & fixed income. Use this link to sign up: https://click.risevest.com/gb0g/afropolitanConvo by Afropolitan — Book 1-on-1 calls with Africa’s boldest thinkers.Visit https://convo.vip/ to connect with leaders like Tunde Onakoya, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Asa Asika, and more.Listen to more Afropolitan Podcast episodesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AfropolitanSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YwRlkSOq8e35xU6bOp9pUApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afropolitan/id1808954585Hosted byEche: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eemole/Chika: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chikauwazie/Book Book CHAPTERS