Why Lagos Fashion Week is here to stay – Essence

In Lagos, clothes are not just worn, they are lived, breathed and celebrated with an infectious energy to rival any world capital of fashion. When the October sun sets over the bustling metropolis, Lagos Fashion Week appears as more than just a demonstration African creativity; it has become a magnetic force that attracts fashion enthusiasts from all corners of the globe. Founded in 2011 by visionary Omoyemi Akerele, this prestigious event has grown into a phenomenon where the vibrancy of the Nigerian spirit meets world-class innovation.

During my recent talks at New York Fashion Week, I witnessed an unprecedented surge of interest in Lagos Fashion Week from international visitors and creatives. This season, LFW welcomed high-profile creatives, including Tamu McPherson, who joined over 12,000 attendees eager to immerse themselves in the electric atmosphere that only Lagos can create. Here in Africa’s most populous city, more than 60 designers have come together to create something extraordinary, a space where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary vision, where buyers and creators don’t just observe African fashion; they also get a chance to experience it.

Lagos Fashion Week goes beyond the traditional catwalk format. Through initiatives such as Fashion Focus Africa, it has become an incubator for a new generation of fashion talent on the continent, offering funding, knowledge and market opportunities. The Fashion business brings together industry leaders from Nigeria and across Africa to shape the future of fashion.

What impresses me the most is how this week celebrates fashion on the continent through self-expression. Imad Eduso’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection ‘Laba Laba: Flames of Growth’ encourages butterflies to dance through vibrant silhouettes, speaking to transformation and renewal. Emmy Casbit marks a landmark decade with her Recollection. It brilliantly reinterprets their signature Akwete motif into a contemporary story of community and consciousness. These are not just collections – they are stories in fabric and thread that create a tapestry that resonates far beyond Nigeria. It’s not just fashion week; it is a movement, a statement, and most importantly, a homecoming for anyone who has ever felt the allure of African creativity.

This season’s prestigious partnerships show just how far Lagos Fashion Week has come. During an intimate breakfast at the Capital Club, Bicester Collection’s Laurent Vinay and Global Fashion Ambassador Tamu McPherson shared an exciting vision of Nigerian fashion in the global luxury market. with Bicester Collection An upcoming New York location designed to house Nigerian designers, African fashion is claiming its rightful place in the global luxury market.

“During my visit to Lagos, I was constantly inspired by the clothes I saw on people,” McPherson shared with me, her eyes twinkling as she discussed her dual role as observer and avid consumer. “It’s not just about watching fashion, it’s about participating in a movement.” This sentiment speaks to a larger shift: African designers and their work are no longer merely observed from afar, but actively embraced by global fashion enthusiasts.

Lagos State’s support for arts and culture shows that the government recognizes fashion as an important cultural export. Together with Prosper Africa’s Bridging Markets initiative, they are creating new avenues for African designers in the American market. During one of the main panels of the week, Rizka Rivianti, women’s ready-to-wear buyer at Moda Operandi, shared how luxury platforms are embracing African design. With Moda Operandi fashion shows featuring designers from Lagos Fashion Week, these collections now have a direct connection to the world’s closets.

With the support of the government, luxury retailers and e-commerce platforms, Lagos Fashion Week has become more than just a showcase. It is now a vital bridge between Nigerian creativity and global trade, staying true to the cultural histories that make these projects unique.

From the front row, I watched a new narrative unfold—one Instagram story, one TikTok clip, one Reel at a time. As a creator immersed in this vibrant scene, I’ve shared the masterful tailoring of Emma Casbitt, the innovative designs of MOT The Label, the creative brilliance of Rendoll, the artistic vision of Fruche and the bold statements of Ladymaker with my audience around the world. . Each post helps connect Nigerian fashion with fashion lovers around the world.

The first row of this season told its story. Nigerian fashion voices like Nicole Chikwe and Eki Ogunbor, who helped shape the country’s fashion scene, shared with international creators like Tenika Boyd. Lady Nneka Michelle brought her unique perspective home from Germany, while Seattle native Freelancey Hoyle and Chinyere Adogu from New York joined the conversation. Together, they showed how this effort by Omoyemi Akerele unites different worlds through style.

The presence of international artists is just the beginning. While fashion month in New York, London, Paris and Milan has its appeal, Lagos offers something different. It offers a chance to connect through clothing that speaks to cultural heritage while pushing creative boundaries. We see this impact through influencers like Achieng Agutuwhich brings Imad Eduzo’s designs to her audience of 840,000 on Instagram alone, showing how the creator’s authenticity and Nigerian fashion come together naturally.

As Barku Tubman-Zavolo, Head of Community at Essence Ventures, cogently observed, “We’re a community, and I think we have to do something for our audience like lead them down a path that I think can be special. » This community-driven approach to fashion storytelling is what sets Lagos Fashion Week apart. It’s not just about the clothes, it’s about creating narratives that resonate with the diaspora while showcasing Nigerian creativity.

In the future I envision, Lagos Fashion Week will stand alongside its Western counterparts, but with an important difference: Here, creators aren’t just documenting fashion—they’re joining a cultural conversation that spans continents. As more voices from the global diaspora join them, they are helping to write the next chapter of Nigerian fashion in world history.

At the end of another season, Lagos Fashion Week proves that it is more than a collection showcase – it is a blueprint for an inclusive fashion future. The support of Bicester Collection and Moda Operandi, combined with creator-driven storytelling and Nigerian design innovation, has created something unprecedented: a fashion week that serves as both a cultural touchstone and a commercial catalyst.

This season shows that Lagos Fashion Week doesn’t just keep pace, it helps set the agenda. From Emma Kasbit’s masterful ten-year retrospective to Imad Eduzo’s butterfly-inspired revolution, these collections combine heritage with innovation and tradition with progress. The presence of international creators and industry leaders confirms that Lagos is not just participating in the global fashion debate, but also leading it.

Looking ahead, Lagos Fashion Week shows what is possible when fashion breaks traditional boundaries. Here, commerce meets culture, digital technology meets tradition, and Nigerian creativity takes to the world stage. For the diaspora and fashion enthusiasts around the world, it’s not just watching from afar, it’s joining a movement that makes fashion weeks more inclusive, connected and meaningful. In Lagos, the future of fashion isn’t just being showcased, it’s being shaped, one story, one collection, one connection at a time.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​