Lagos, the city of hustlers but today, Fashion is the real hustle. The just concluded Lagos Fashion Week was and is still a sight to many as social media is still abuzz with looks from various people in the fashion industry. From the fashion enthusiasts who can’t be caught looking a mess on the carpet to the show itself to the designers who came out looking chic or simple but sweet leaving their designs to do the true clothing of themselves on the runway, to the newbies and wannabes, the fashion scene showed up and showed out, however saturated some looks were, it was really one to see, everything was a beautiful, put together mess. 

What happened to GT this year?

Whilst the industry’s favourites came out with a barrage of banger designs and shows from Rick Dusi, Ugo Monye, Emmy Kasbit, Andrea Iyamah, Orange Culture, Lisa Folawiyo, Elfreda Dali, J Z O, Lohije, Gozel Green, Wande Lephoto, Maxivive, Maliko and so many others. It was amazing to see the expression of the designers, from the choice of fabric to the detailing, colours, the clothes spoke, and we were willing to listen, to be lulled, shook, and made to feel elevated or sometimes in the gutter. It was more than aesthetics this year. The clothes couldn’t help but be given attention and be appraised for more than just being easy on the eyes.

It would be a great injustice to speak fashion week and not give due recognition to the people who held hands with the designers. The models, solid representations of what each piece of clothing was about, whilst some walked as usual, some cast themselves aside and became what their assigned pieces needed them to be to. The makeup, paying special attention to the ones that accompanied Emmy Kasbit’s SS21 Collection. It was simple, fierce yet elegant.

Respectfully, truly respectfully. A lot of brands and individuals were celebrated during this time, with the tag “10 years of shaping the future of African fashion” and it had me thinking, “really?” The fashion industry in Nigeria has always been a multi-sided coin. You think you’re in fashion until certain times of the year come and you realise your head was in the clouds. And then you try to get into the game, learn, grow and all that and it’s like you’re purposefully being shut out regardless of talent or and skill, as though a time has been set, a time where you’re made into some grass to grace story or made to feel like it’s not much of what you have, however unrefined but much of the people who gave you the come-up. This is however not encouraging the not giving of honour to whom it is due. Gratitude is a must. Except I’m misunderstanding here, who/what is referred to as “The Future”? If the future is now, are the new and “unusual” people in the mix or it’s just the usual picks. Is fashion making time to educate, take on and appraise the future without judgement and without connections? Is the environment being considered? These are some of the questions.

Can you mention fashion and not mention styling? I saw a piece by Elfreda Dali walked by Adams Godwin and I thought, “This stylist needs to be with Gucci”. It was fantastic!

I’ll never do you guys dirty and not mention a personal favourite and his opening look for Lagos Fashion Week. Wearing Bespoke Sense of Humour to Lisa Folawiyo’s show, it was not one of those times because every look is a new experience. The Style Infidel came hot and ate leaving no crumbs with Sense of Humour, Mazelle is not left behind as the style artist’s love story with these brands have been full and true. Subsequent looks did justice to his persona, and you know he keeps the fire blazing and the fashion industry on its toes, what is he going to do next? Who is he going to evolve into? The styling this year, was fantastic, the stylists put themselves out there whilst retaining the designers in their pieces, a truly beautiful collaboration. I’m still very young in this industry and situations surrounding this article have stunted my research to give you names but if you`d like to point me in the right direction or know stylists and freelance makeup artists worthy of mention as well as ones associated with the designers, kindly leave a comment, thank you.

If you thought I’d mention him, you are right. King Daviids deserves all the buzz he’s getting right now, a smart craftsman, this is a shoemaker that knows his market and creates work that rises above trend. For more, Bellanaijastyle has an interview on him, head on to their website or his page to get into the mind of the industry`snewest sweetheart.

And we’re here, the end. Lisa Folawiyo, the person, the brand, a breeze that you never want to stop blowing, a soft and gentle sun, a firm body of art you never want to stop looking at. This year’s Lagos Fashion was a fantastic one. I’m looking forward to next year’s and all of the time before then. Until then, shalom!