Lagos Fashion Week’s 16th edition attracted approximately 16,000 people over five days, up from 15,000 the previous season. Around 65 designers presented collections to an audience of press, influencers and industry figures, as the event drew more international visitors than before.
Nigerian designers featured prominently across the official schedule and shows held around the city. Labels including Emmy Kasbit, Ugo Monye and Sisano presented collections, while Lisa Folawiyo returned to the official calendar after seven years away. Her label, which marked its 21st anniversary this year, closed the event with an intimate dinner. Ghana’s Christie Brown also returned after an eight-year hiatus as it works to build its presence in key African markets.
The week’s international reach extended beyond the runway. Buyers and media arrived from the Middle East and neighboring African countries, including Senegal and Ghana, while US influencers and models Eni Popoola and Alton Mason attended. At an event hosted by the US General Consulate, Lagos Fashion Week founder Omoyemi Akerele received an award for excellence in commercial and creative leadership. Consul General Brandon Hudspeth highlighted the platform’s role in connecting Nigerian fashion with international markets.
Designers from across Africa also used the event to build connections. Uganda’s IGC Fashion funded its participation in hopes of reaching new media, customers and investors, while Moroccan designer Scheherazade Essrhir described Lagos Fashion Week’s support for emerging talent as extending beyond the shows. South African designer Mzukisi Mbane said the event offered a chance to be seen by people who could help his label grow.
Buyers focused on how runway collections might translate into customers’ wardrobes. Lagos concept store Alara partnered with the event to host a showroom, allowing buyers to inspect garments’ construction, texture and weight. Its buyer, Arinola Fagbemi, said collections appeared more cohesive and increasingly attentive to customers’ needs. Sacha Okoh, creative director and buyer at Ghana’s Viva Accra, said she looks for a balance of creativity, quality, wearability and commercial appeal.
Business news also shaped the week. Nigerian label Post-Imperial announced it would close after a decade in business. Founder Niyi Okuboyejo presented a final collection in collaboration with Nigerian sustainable fashion brand This Is Us. The label had built a wholesale business spanning more than 200 retail stores, including Bergdorf Goodman in the US and Alára in Nigeria.
Sources: Vogue.