Lisa Folawiyo closed the Lagos fashion program with her return to the schedule after last showing there in 2019. The Nigerian designer presented her Spring 2027 collection, titled “After Rain,” during a candlelit dinner at White Space, a gallery-turned-creative studio.
The presentation unfolded between courses. Mirrored tables decorated with handwoven flowers filled the space, while orchestral pop played as models appeared in small groups on a makeshift runway. The format continued over three additional courses, giving the collection a theatrical setting in keeping with Lagos’s taste for entertainment during fashion week.
Among the standout looks were a fully beaded patchwork dress with feather details, a black embellished lace dress and a raffia zebra-print set. The collection also marked Folawiyo’s first use of animal prints, including snake, leopard and zebra motifs.
“After Rain” was conceived around the climate of tropical African countries, where the Western four-season calendar does not apply. Nigeria generally experiences a rainy season and a dry season, a framework Folawiyo used to establish a seasonal language of her own. “The main objective was to coin our season,” she said in an interview at her studio. “Everything after the rain is color, sunshine, and that’s really who we are as a brand.”
Several garments initially appeared to be knitwear, but were instead constructed from strands of dyed raffia that had been intricately woven together. After roughly 20 years in business, Folawiyo’s latest collection highlighted her continued experimentation with craft, texture and print.
Sources: Vogue.