From October 28 to November 1, Lagos Fashion Week brings together more than 50 brands in Nigeria. Under the theme “CRAFTED: Heritage. Innovation. Circular Futures,” this edition highlights craftsmanship and clothing production methods. On the runways, designers play with shapes, tell their stories, and breathe new life into materials.
Clothes that reflect your choices
On October 29, the first major night of fashion shows featured 19 presentations at the Federal Palace Hotel, according to Marie Claire Nigeria. From evening gowns to more casual outfits, the lineup showcases the diversity of the participating brands and the themes that inspire them. Florentina Agu, founder of the Nigerian brand Hertunba, envisions a world where women can dress without fear of judgment. On the runway, cropped black and silver tops are paired with long, flowing printed skirts. Lace capes and fringed dresses round out this collection, blending sheer fabrics with fluid movement. This desire to assert one’s style takes on a more theatrical form in Oshobor’s collection. Nigerian designer Odion Peter Oshobor, winner of the Africa Fashion Up 2025 Eco-Responsible Award, continues his exploration of mystery and spirituality. A head-to-toe black ensemble contrasts with a large, bright yellow coat and an orange-and-black fringed skirt. The exaggerated volumes and bold colors give his runway show the feel of a spectacle.
Ideas Taking Shape in the Workshops
These effects are based on choices in cut, construction, and decoration. At Iremitidé, flowers become an integral part of the garment: they cover the shoulders of a yellow ensemble, while petals extend from the top to the waist, resting above floral pants. The Nigerian brand also explores other ways to dress for special occasions, with a purple dress paired with a long veil and a green outfit accented with red.
Christie Brown offers a unique take on elegance, where prints are paired with silver fabrics, ruffles, and sheer skirts. The Ghanaian fashion house was founded in 2008 by Aisha Ayensu, who named it after her grandmother, a seamstress. Her grandmother instilled in her a passion for design, which the brand continues to carry forward today through the work of its artisans.
Featured this summer at Africa Now at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, Christie Brown is also returning to the runway in Lagos. These events give diverse audiences the opportunity to discover her clothing and the techniques that make them unique.
Preserving expertise and materials
The role of artisans is also being discussed outside the runway shows. During this year’s industry meetings, Aisha Ayensu emphasized the importance of building lasting relationships with them. Fashion Week thus gives designers a platform to discuss the collaborations necessary for producing their collections.
At the Nigerian brand NKWO, this approach also helps reduce waste. Its founder, Nkwo Onwuka, developed Dakala Cloth, a fabric created by cutting and piecing together fabric scraps. In her “Journey to Less” collection, repurposed denim is transformed into dresses or skirts, with visible seams that contribute to the pieces’ design.
The designer also aims to transform clothes that her customers no longer wear. This is a concrete way to extend the life of these garments and highlight the potential of materials already in our closets.
These opening days showcase what Lagos Fashion Week brings to African design: a platform to present collections, but also a space to discuss their production. The styles are diverse, the ideas plentiful, and the work of artisans takes center stage. It serves as a reminder that the future of fashion is also being shaped in the workshops.
By Linka ATETA.
