By Angel Odukomaiya

Lagos Fashion Week 2022 took place from October 25-30 at the Federal Palace Hotel. The annual showcase continues to push the African fashion industry forward with its traditional yet innovative designs. This season featured a wide range of both rising and established designers from across the continent such as: Gëto, Orire, Tia Adeola and Kadiju. Fashion designers, enthusiasts and buyers arrived in their best garments over the course of the 5-day event. Here are some of the standout shows from the 3rd day of Lagos Fashion Week:

Imprint by Mzukisi Mbane

This was a very cohesive collection that favored structured pieces with extravagant, colorful prints. The overall aesthetic of Afro- futurism was evident in the way each piece was styled. Mbane paired most looks with very angular shades or brightly colored shoes. His looks were simple yet striking with a mix of colorful and monochromatic prints. The brand’s tagline ‘Leave a Mark’ was very apt for this collection; the boldness of each piece created a strong contrast that drew the eye to the model’s glistening skin, making the clothes stand out even more.

Gëto:

In their Lagos Fashion Week debut, Gëto brought a fun, youthful energy to this season. Their IBERU collection dove into common phobias and remolded them through the lens of fashion; some of the fears explored were Trypophobia and Aqua phobia. Gëto played with textures, mixing sheer fabrics with sequins, beads, and baubles. The standout pieces for me featured mesh and they were made even more risqué with black boob tape placed in an ‘X’ on some of the female models. The collection featured large over coats with flamboyant embellishments, colorful and structured streetwear looks and fun/ flirty dresses and skirts. The accessories were just as fun with color coordinating shoes or matching bikinis under sheer looks. This show caught my attention in particular because of the models’ animated walks. Both the male and female models walked with the ‘stankiest’ attitude, each strut was full of character and drew the audience into the spry brand.

Duaba Serwa

It was clear to see how each look was built intentionally with such care for the clothes. Each garment was constructed with attention to detail. The brand’s signature batik folded and pressed into a triangular pleat moved majestically as the models walked own the runway. Each stunning design moved as intended and gave the models an air of regality. The collection was crafted with the African woman in mind with designs fit for women of different ages with different personal styles.

Tia Adeola Resorts 2023

As one of the last designers to be showcased on the third day, Adeola woke the room up by bringing pure drama to the runway. Her debut Lagos Fashion Week showcase began with a dancer clad in a bright yellow leotard adorned with her signature ruffles. Fela Kuti’s ‘Shakara’ boomed from the speakers as the dancer made her way across the stage, grabbing the attention of every audience member with her sweet smile and graceful movements.

The actual collection packed a punch with a focus on romantic and relaxed structures while maintaining the brands ethos of being fiercely sexy yet classic. As the show went on, the music matched the models’ dreamy, floaty walks as Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ played in the background. Adeola’s choice in music complimented the show perfectly and drew attention to the tenderness of each look. The collection was made up of black, green, and white fabrics, paying homage to the Nigerian roots of the designer. One of the standout pieces was a simple, elegant, green dress with the words, ‘God Save Nigeria’. Her signature organza materials, ruffles, and feathers were reintroduced in this collection with an even more luxurious feel for the resort collection. Every aspect of this showcase was pulled together intentionally, bringing romance, theatre, and luxury to the runway.