Lagos Fashion Week: Africa’s Biggest Fashion Week

This year’s Lagos Fashion Week brought a refreshing blend of tradition, creativity, and inclusivity to the runway, highlighting the artistry and forward-thinking direction of African designers. One of the standout brands, Y’wandelA, showcased a rich homage to Yoruba heritage by incorporating traditional asooke fabrics with sheer textiles to create Afrocentric yet classic pieces. Their designs, featuring fringe details and an inventive bacco bag fusion, catered to both men and women, illustrating an innovative approach to uniting tradition with contemporary fashion. Y’wandelA’s collection honored Nigerian culture with every stitch.

Another top brand, Ajane, leaned into streetwear aesthetics, incorporating denim and sheer fabrics with daring cutouts and layered designs that felt youthful and vibrant. What set Ajane apart was its model inclusivity, presenting a lineup that defied traditional beauty standards. The show featured plus-size models and even a model with one arm, a powerful gesture that resonated with the audience and demonstrated the brand’s commitment to diversity. This inclusive representation added depth to the runway, underscoring the importance of embracing a broader spectrum of beauty and individuality in fashion.

LadyBiba and Jewel Jemila each brought a touch of elegance with their feminine collections tailored for special occasions. LadyBiba’s dresses were designed for sophisticated events, with the designer connecting with the audience in a personal way by distributing flowers. Jewel Jemila’s designs, mainly crafted from luxurious silk, focused on wedding receptions and high-end dining, illustrating the brand’s ability to create timeless, graceful pieces that cater to a distinctly feminine audience. Both brands, although employing traditional model types, succeeded in capturing the spirit of contemporary femininity while honoring their aesthetic commitment to grace and refinement.

I spoke with Vanessa Onwughalu, the visionary designer and founder behind the upcoming fashion brand SAJO, who offered unique insights into Lagos Fashion Week’s standout talents and trends. This season, she recommends keeping an eye on designers like Emmy Kasbit, LfJofficial, and Lady Biba, each redefining silhouettes and making waves in Nigerian fashion alongside perennial favorites Ugo Monye and Banke Kuku. Vanessa highlights the recurring themes of bold colors and abstract prints as top trends, with voluminous silhouettes and asymmetrical cuts capturing the blend of urban and traditional influences that define Lagos Fashion Week. 

Sustainability remains a focal point, thanks to the Green Access platform, which promotes eco-friendly design. With events like these fostering authenticity and innovation, Vanessa affirms that Lagos Fashion Week uniquely connects designers and audiences, celebrating African heritage while embracing global relevance. Looking forward to her brand SAJO’s launch in Spring/Summer 2025, Vanessa remains inspired by the vibrant, evolving landscape of African fashion.

To gain further perspective, I spoke with Eki Ogunbor, a fashion content creator and founder of the resort accessories brand KISARA, who is also the driving force behind FashionVerse Africa, an online community spotlighting African fashion. Reflecting on the growth of Lagos Fashion Week, Eki shared, “It’s been so fantastic watching Lagos Fashion Week grow, from my days as an intern-turned-designer at Xclamations, a womenswear brand, to my time as the Editor at BellaNaija Style, one of Africa’s leading fashion publications, and now as an influencer and tastemaker in Lagos.” Eki praised Omoyemi Akerele, the visionary behind Lagos Fashion Week, for establishing it as a crucial gateway into African fashion, with initiatives like the Green Access and Fashion Focus Africa programs giving emerging designers the support they need to thrive.

Eki emphasized the importance of showcasing indigenous textiles in new, innovative ways that celebrate heritage and modernity. “Textiles like Adire and Asooke have taken center stage, as designers breathe new life into our culture by mixing traditional fabrics with materials like denim, satin, silk, and embellishments like beading and raffia.” Among the standout collections this season, Fruché by Frank Aghuno and Emmy Kasbit by Emmanuel Okoro led the way in blending tradition with contemporary style. Fruché used a new Adire print that adopted plaid, a pattern more common in the West, while Emmy Kasbit’s use of Akwete fabric pushed boundaries with his dynamic and fresh designs.

Eki also applauded Lagos Fashion Week’s commitment to diversity, highlighting the Lush Hair runway show as a prime example. “The show featured a gorgeous albino model, a man with long, floor-length braids, a fierce model with crutches, and various vivacious models of different body types,” Eki remarked. She believes this inclusivity sends a vital message to emerging creatives, showing them that representation is essential in the industry.

This year’s Lagos Fashion Week concluded on a playful note with brands like Cute Saint and Lush Hair. Cute Saint’s models danced down the runway in bold, colorful pieces, with plus-size representation that thrilled the crowd. Lush Hair took risks with striking hairstyles and bold fashion choices, even incorporating an afro-extension style for one male model, nodding to 90s nostalgia. While Lush Hair’s special guest, Tacha from BBN 2020, faced a challenging walk down the runway, her recovery only added to the memorable experience. This year’s Lagos Fashion Week truly celebrated the diversity, artistry, and cultural richness that define African fashion, offering audiences a unique experience where tradition meets inclusivity and innovation.