Kimberley born, Trevor stuurman, is an award winning contemporary multimedia visual artist, afda graduate with a ba (hons) motion picture & live performance who sees the world through his creative lens and finds beauty in that which reminds him of home a place that is imbued with colour, love and belonging that reflects africa.
Ever since he burst onto the creative scene scooping the elle style reporter title in 2012, trevor has easily cemented himself as a creative force to be reckoned with.
A seasoned explorer, he cites travel as his core inspiration. “the more I leave home, the more I realise the power and currency that home has. And I think that in turn makes me a better storyteller because I am able to find pieces of home wherever I go and then create tangible products”. This essence of belonging inspired him to host his first solo exhibition entitled “home”, a love letter to the himba women of nambia that enjoyed a successful run at the hazard gallery in johannesburg. Subsequently, trevor has exhibited in a group exhibition at digitalia; the art and economy of ideas in san francisco at the museum of the african diaspora.
Trevor has curated his own installations; “teleporting into afrika” and “this is home” for the absolut one source live creative festivals and “this is home” at the motsepe foundation’s mandela 100 summit.
Trevor has cemented himself as a co-pilot with brands such as mini as brand ambassador, standard bank, simon and mary’s fez hats line, eponymous fashion brand rich mnisi, vlisco and laurence airline. He has collaborated with artists such as black coffee, ciara, nelson makamo, african rhythm, dear ribane and the carters – beyoncé and jay-z.
As marie claire magazine’s image maker 2018 recipient and gq style declared “king of creativity”, trevor has lived up to these titles having been commissioned in the same year by disney to interpret marvel’s black panther with manthe ribane as his muse.
His work with global humanitarian foundations includes the united nations, gates foundation and the auma obama foundation to document former american president barack obama.
Described as “a cultural force” by cnn’s african voices feature, trevor continues to hone in on his creative eye and centres diverse beauty and fashion. He has captured the likes of teyana taylor, naomi campbell shanelle nyasiase, gigi & bella hadid, kendall jenner and imaan hammam.
As a british vogue contributor, trevor’s work at arise and afro punk johannesburg has made him a sought after photographer able to capture inclusive representations of beauty, culture and fashion expression. It is no wonder he believes that “being african is his superpower.”
Content courtey of Trevor Stuurman & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Brian Siambi is an editorial, commercial and travel photographer, based wherever my camera takes him.Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya Siambi love for the arts started at a young age through illustrations learning from his uncle.
Lifetimes later he became a graphic designer while working for a Kenyan top women’s magazine True Love Magazine East Africa, His interest in fashion photography started here while working with his mentor/friend Emmanuel Jambo. It was during this time Brian started shooting with his phone and grew from there.
Brian work focuses on capturing fashion and travel in its element. He love natural light and shadows and how it forms interesting light against his subjects. Always experimenting with new techniques, Simabi love challenging himself to always push the limits of creativity. He is currently working on a series called The Dark Matter Project that is a collaboration with different African models, designers showcasing their unique fashion and documenting this through creative forms fo editorial photography.
The Dark Matter Project
The Series is a personal three year project of my exploration of our rich beautiful dark skin through fashion. It is my learning and unlearning of years of the media’s definition of beauty to us and how it shaped what we see as beauty and not. What started as a fashion project has slowly shifted to concepts having a political tone on the challenges we face as a continent.
“Sons of Stolen Lands was such a project. It was a story telling how colonisers came and enriched themselves with our resources by shifting our mindset and telling us their ways were better, their god was better, their dressing, way of life were better, so we ditched our traditions for “Modern times” It’s a journey to appreciate my culture and it’s richness.
A collaboration with my good friend and talented stylist Bryan Emry where we work with different African fashion brands, stylists and models to create an African fashion narrative not just to show the west but also to get us Africans to start appreciating our own. It is a journey that I continually challenge my art to create unique work.
Content courtesy of Brian Siambi & Nairobi fashion hub
Wabaiya Kariuki is a 24 year old who has just completed her degree in Actuarial Science. She works at a start up insurance agency called Mule Insurance Agency Limited.
Apart from that, she is a high fashion and commercial model having worked with a number of designers from East Africa and has been featured in some online Pan African campaigns.
She enjoys singing, travelling, listening to music, hanging out with friends and watching movies. She is also a singer and in her free time, she teaches violin at a start up music school in her area. The most influential person in her life is her late mother who was a Singer, Fashion Designer, Model and a completely lovable person. If she wins the crown, she hopes to advocate for mental health among the youth in her country.
Content courtesy of Miss Universe & Nairobi fashion hub
Sunny Dolat is a fashion curator, cultural producer and creative director who works independently as well as in the Nest Collective, which he co founded in 2012. The Nest is a multidisciplinary Kenyan squad who use film, fashion, literature, visual arts, events and music to work in in the intersections between aesthetics and communities; blackness/Africanness, feminism and queer theory; as well as design and technology, specifically located in the Kenyan experience.
Sunny has designed interventions such as Stingo & Chico Leco to provoke dialogue on the improvement of the infrastructure and operations of the East African fashion industry, as well as to shift the narrative and expectation of Kenyan fashion beyond ankara, kikoy and kanga. He centres his practice in making unapologetic statements about the beauty and dignity of black skin through works such as When We Are/When We Are Not.
Another project he helmed, a fashion book titled “Not African Enough”, is a voyage into contemporary Kenyan fashion and exploration of wider issues regarding Africa’s place in global cultural debate and dialogues. In it, Sunny challenged narrow definitions of African design and showcased original, unencumbered thinking and practice in this challenging sphere.
Over the past 2 years, Sunny has been transitioning into more curatorial capacities, taking leadership in Salt of the Earth for the Kenyan Pavilion at the International Fashion Showcase at Somerset House, and Beyond Expectations at the Institut Suedois in Paris among others.
Most notably, in July 2019, he curated and performed In Their Finest Robes, The Children Shall Return, an expansive fashion installation and ritual staged on the shores of Sao Tome and Principe for the N’gola Biennale, featuring 56 looks, one form every country on the continent and one from the diaspora.
Leave it to Serena Williams to make a fashion show so much more than just a fashion show. The tennis pro showed her S by Serena collection at New York Fashion Week and managed to snag none other than noted tennis super-fan Anna Wintour for a quick Q&A after the presentation. The show, which Williams is calling a capsule collection, was an authentic way for the designer to show her love for fashion and her innate ability to make clothes that people actually want to wear just ask her pal Meghan Markle. Right now, S by Serena is see now, buy now and it’s working. Fans are buying up pieces and sharing their favorites on social media, much to Williams’s delight. But she’s not ruling out something in the luxury space.
Williams went to school for fashion design and although her line’s not in the same conversations as luxury brands, such as Rihanna’s new Fenty line, it could be. She’s not ruling out the possibility of releasing a special capsule within a capsule, which would be a way of giving some shoppers what they want without completely alienating some of her other fans.
“See now, buy now is great. I would love to do luxury, but I feel like I also want to be true and authentic to people that support the brand for years,” she explained. “And so, if we do a luxury capsule, it’ll be really small one day in the future. But I love the idea of see now, buy now, and really do it in a good way.”
Williams also spoke about sustainability and how S by Serena has embraced vegan leather and other unconventional materials. And even though vegan leather doesn’t sound glam, Williams managed to mix in animal prints to up the glitz and curate the collection so it was nothing but all of her favorite things.
“The collection dabbles a little bit in a lot of gold. We experimented with different animal prints; we focused on giraffe. And then we focused on the sustainability aspect of having vegan leather,” she said. “And so that’s kind of what we wanted to focus on and just build from there. So it’s a small capsule I call it a capsule. I’ve never showed in February. So I’m like, ‘Let’s do something but keep it small. And what are some things that really mean a lot to me?’ And those really stood out.”
For fans of the line, there’s a lot to love. Keep an eye out for a certain former royal to step out in Williams’s designs, just in case there’s any question that see now, buy now can’t look like something luxurious.
Kenneth Ize made his official debut at Paris Fashion Week tonight, though his eponymous label has been making waves on the international circuit for the past few seasons. The Austrian-Nigerian designer was an LVMH prize finalist this past September having first caught the world’s attention at Lagos Fashion Week a few months prior.
Images of Naomi Campbell and Imaan Hammam striding down Ize’s runway in his signature handwoven checks, a traditional Nigerian fabric known as Asoke, caused something of a global social media frenzy.
Both women were present at the show this evening Hammam opened, while Campbell closed what was a truly impressive first outing for Ize. The designer is best known for his men’s tailoring, though he kicked things off on a distinctly feminine note with a quilted striped mini skirt and matching funnel neck zippered jacket.
Ize tends to work best in an androgynous zone, however, and his strongest moments were shaped by a workwear influence think, carpenter pants spun from silk and fringed at the hem. Adwoa Aboah looked especially striking in one of his new quilted boiler suits.
Ize has been working with a small circle of Asoke weavers in Nigeria with the hopes of preserving the centuries-old craft from the brink of extinction. For fall, he expanded on that commitment to local artisanship by collaborating with Austrian lace-makers in Vienna where he was born and raised.
The green and orange lace tunics and suiting were a nod to Ize’s mother, who, like many West African women, would source Viennese lace to make custom outfits for special occasions. The collection was largely inspired by her meticulous approach to Sunday Best in particular; the devil was in the details here, with matching fringed bucket bags and clutches made in collaboration with Austrian accessories label, Sagan. It’s exquisite transcultural fashion experiments like these that will put Ize and his heirloom-worthy designs on the map.
Nigerian Fashion Designers are taking the fashion industry by storm worldwide, Nigerian fashion design is no longer a field that can be termed a waste or mediocre, The fashion designer is an all-around artiste pioneering style and trends. These designers serve you Nigeria’s latest fashion and African styles. Contemporary to contemporary, the art that is fashion has exploded into a canvas where each designer paints their vision. It can be said that Nigerian designers are capable of influencing the international fashion scene.
Though most Nigerian male designers are still on the come up in Nigerian fashion design, there’s room for more creatives to explore. Numerous platforms have been developed to showcase African fashion. The ARISE Fashion Week and Lagos Fashion Week have gone a long way in showcasing Nigeria to Nigerians and then the world.
1. Folake Folarin Coker
Folake Folarin-Coker is the founder of Tiffany Amber, a world-famous iconic label whose journey began in Lagos in 1998. Born in Lagos, she did her schooling in Europe (England, Scotland and Switzerland), where she got an opportunity to interact and engage with various cultures while still at a young age. Interestingly, she has a Master’s Degree in Petroleum Law from Switzerland, but as fate would have it, her insatiable passion for fashion led her into fashion design. Her curiosity for cultures steered her love and interest to focus on unique fashion designs that appeal to women of various tastes and preferences.
Folake’s tasteful and colorful creations have earned her global recognition, making her the first African fashion designer to showcase her talent at the New York Mercedes Fashion Week two years in a row. She has also been widely featured by International media houses such as CNN, and in 2013, she received an Enterprise Award at WIE (Women, Inspiration and Enterprise) Symposium. In addition, she has made it onto the Forbes Power Women in Africa list.
She has been instrumental in making the Nigerian fashion industry shine.
“Now, Nigerian fashion has a personality of its own. There are so many amazing designers in Nigeria doing such great things. If you mention a designer, someone would likely know who you were talking about. Ten years ago, that wasn’t the case. Lagos was more of a tailoring city back then as opposed to the designing city it has become,” Folarin-Coker said.
2. Duro Olowu
London-based, Nigerian born, Duro Olowu, shares both Nigerian and Jamaican roots and is a household name in both the Nigerian and global fashion industry. He is, undoubtedly, a well-respected Nigerian fashion design personality, famous for his unique and colorful African prints. He’s super talented in working with patterns, and his designs incorporate the rich culture, spirit, and diversity of the Nigerian people.
His interest in fashion began when he was only six years old and went on throughout his childhood. Olowu’s talent has earned him global fame and recognition with top clients to his name such as Michelle Obama, Solange Knowles, Uma Thurman, and Linda Evangelista, among others.
Despite being a lawyer by profession, fashion was Olowu’s first love. During his career, he has bagged numerous awards further raising his profile in the global fashion industry. In 2005, he was the first designer to be named New Designer of the Year at London Fashion Week without staging a catwalk show.
At the African Fashion Awards in 2009, he was named the Best International Designer and was one of the six nominees for the Swiss Textile Federation’s top prize of 100,000 Euros. Both British and American Vogue in 2005 named his waist patchwork “Duro,” as the “Dress of the Year.” One of Olowu’s famous quotes is, “My job is not dictating to women what they should wear; it is presenting them with beautiful options.”
3. Deola Sagoe
Deola Sagoe is a renowned Nigerian fashion designer, entrepreneur and founder of The House of Deola Sagoe. Her unique approach of designing lively and colorful prints has earned her a global following including notable personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith, who have recognized her for her celebration of African prints.
Having launched her career in 1989, Sagoe has a Masters Degree in Finance and Management and has studied at both University of Lagos and University of Miami. She is a woman with many layers and this is reflected in her multilayered designs. Her signature designs, Attitude and Elegance, draw their inspiration from fabrics with a traditional Nigerian touch and western aesthetics.
She designed the label, Odua, for her mom, who played a major role in popularizing her in the industry. Her recent works include hand-dyed Adire fabric, which is made by Yoruba women. Her reputation spans beyond the African continent, earning her fame and respect.
Aside from showcasing her couture collection at Cape Town and New York Fashion Weeks, Deola won the MNET/Anglo Gold African Designs 2000 Award. United Nations World Food Program appointed her Nigeria’s ambassador to the program, “Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food.” This was aimed at raising funds to reduce, by half, the number of starving people in the world, especially children by 2015.
Her three daughters, Teni, Tiwa, and Aba Sagoe, have taken after their mother and are owners of the popular CLAN fashion label. Sagoe believes the African fashion industry has come a long way and there’s still plenty of room for growth “Just in Africa, there is a huge market, without even going to Europe… and the US, there is a huge market there,” Sagoe states.
4. Lisa Folawiyo
Lisa Folawiyo is a self-made Nigerian fashion designer who is famous for the way she creatively fuses traditional West African fabrics with modern tailoring techniques. She is known for her label, Jewel by Lisa, which she launched in 2005, and has since grown to become a global fashion brand with showrooms in New York and Nigeria.
Folawiyo uses Ankara, a traditional West African fabric, to create captivating and luxurious custom prints. She has her own fabric line that also produces accessories such as jewelry and purses. Line J Label, her diffusion line, showcases the best of Nigerian culture by incorporating Afropop with tasteful urban designs. Some of her celebrity fans include Beyonce, Kelis,Tasha Smith, and Eve.
Aside from Nigeria, her collections have been showcased in the UK, US, and South Africa. She has participated in New York Fashion Week 2010 and Paris Fashion Week 2010. Some of her career achievements include winner of the African Fashion Award in 2012, and she was featured in Vogue Italia in 2012. In 2014, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) named Folawiyo among the eight emerging talents. In 2015, BOF500, a prestigious list of international brands, featured the designer among top fashion brands making an impact on the global scene.
Lisa Folawiyo studied Law at the University of Nigeria, but decided to pursue her love of fashion. She admits her style is simplistic but innovative, and she also loves to play around with colors and mix prints. International media houses such as Style.com, Gotham, and Women’s Wear Daily have reviewed her.
5. Soares Anthony
Soares Anthony is a young, energetic, and talented fashion designer who focuses on his men’s clothing line, Soares Anthony. His work draws inspiration from local Nigerian fabrics coupled with Japanese tailoring designs. His designs are masculine, yet modern and trendy by way of transforming an ordinary look into a sophisticated design that embraces elegance.
Anthony began acquired his love for fashion when he was a young boy where he spent his time sketching and drawing. He loves to work with colors, and his awesome talent has seen his pieces worn by famous politicians and celebrities. Young and successful, he is a talented fashion designer to watch out for as his name continues to cause ripples in both the local and global fashion industries.
His pieces are also sold globally in the UK, US, and France. Anthony uses his talent to make an impact on the community through a mentoring program he runs that helps young and upcoming Nigerian designers excel and compete on a global platform. Nature, colors, and artwork are his main sources of inspiration.
6. Lola Faturoti
Lola Faturoti is a Nigerian-born, New York-based fashion designer with extensive experience and renowned international repute. Faturoti, who hails from Ondo State, went on to school in London before moving to New York in the early 1990s. Her fashion journey began from childhood when she helped her grandmother, who was also a fashion designer. “I got interested in fashion because my grandmother was a designer. She designed Nigerian traditional clothes. That was my first introduction to fashion, which I hated because I wanted to be out playing instead of picking out seams!”
Her inspiration is mainly drawn from her roots, and Faturoti rose to fame in New York when she made a dress to celebrate Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States. The dress had these bold Yoruba words, “Oluwa gba President Barack Obama,” which means, “God Bless President Barack Obama.”
She confirms that her mother played a major role in defining her personal style. “My mom travelled a lot to London and New York. She bought me a lot of clothes, so I began to dress differently. I think that was the first introduction to me wanting to be different through clothing,” says Faturoti.
While in New York, she was employed in the Charivari Boutique where president of the company, Barbara Weiser, noticed her potential and passion for unique fashion and helped her launch her first fashion collection. Her passion for African fashion is profound. “Everything begins for me with the print and fabric, which usually has some shine,” exclaims Faturoti. Her deep African roots, as well as extensive global experience with having lived and worked in New York and Milan have been instrumental in her success and international spotlight.
7. Frank Oshodi
Frank Oshodi is a perfect presentation of how Nigerian cultural diversity has been embraced in unique fashion design trends. With extensive industry experience spanning over 25 years, Oshodi began his career as a model and was employed by top household fashion houses, such as Dakova and Nikki Africana.
He also worked on popular TV commercials such as Maclean’s before rising in the ranks to become a model manager. He went into choreography before finally launching his makeup label, House of Bunor and Fashion Designing. His big break came when Silverbird hired him to be the designer and makeup artist for Agbani Darego, who was the 2001 Miss World winner. Since then, Oshodi’s career has continuously rewarded him, enabling him to acquire many clients across the world.
Effortless beauty and elegance is the foundation of Oshodi’s career and is reflected in the years he has been in the industry. He has played a major role in numerous events such as The West African Fashion Week 2008, whose aim was to showcase the very best of Nigerian fashion. There’s no doubt that Oshodi’s journey so far is only the beginning of future successes that await him on the Nigerian fashion scene. He’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.
8. Zizi Cardow
Zizi Cardow has been instrumental in successfully showcasing the Nigerian fabric and culture on a global level. She launched her label, Zizi, which has seen her profile expand proudly, letting the world know how unique and elegant the Nigerian fabric is. She is credited with promoting the Ankara fabric, which has earned it global fame as the fabric is now being worn to red carpet events around the world.
When she was young, Cardow hoped to become a forensic profiler, but after landing her first fashion job at only 17 in an Italian-owned boutique ignited her interest in fashion. Being a popular African fashion ambassador, her success has seen her designs featured in many international catwalk events in Cape Town, Milan, Paris, the USA, and other destinations worldwide.
Her global revolution for the African fabric to be appreciated internationally has earned numerous awards, with the list being long and continuing to grow. In 2001, after only one year in the fashion industry, she bagged the Prestigious Designer of the Year Award at the Nigerian Fashion Show. With this award to her name, the world noticed her work, and her work was showcased on a global platform.
In 2002, other awards knocked at her door. The DAME Award recognized her for her outstanding achievement in fashion, and also winning the St. Moritz Style Selection Award and Nigerian Women Awards. From 2002, she kept winning numerous awards successively year after year, raising her profile in the industry. Some of the other major accolades Cardow has achieved include the 2010 UN Peace Ambassador, 2010 Global Leadership Award, 2010 Young Achievers Award, 2010 Fashion and Style Award, 2010 Merit Award for African Heritage, 2009 Zenith Award for Excellence, and 2007 African Role Model Leadership Award, as well as many others.
Her client base is vast, consisting of famous political figures and celebrities. She has also been featured by top international media houses such as CNN, SABC, Channel O, and FTV. Zizi Cardow has given back to society through numerous mentorship programs, which have, in turn, earned her awards.
9. Mai Atafo
Mai Atafo is a well-known Nigerian male bespoke designer. He rose into the limelight after launching his brand, Mai Atafo, which has been successful both on the local scene, as well as global fashion scene. His aim throughout his career has been to uniquely showcase the personality of a confident and elegant Nigerian gentleman.
Atafo is a trained IT specialist with a Master’s Degree in Information Systems and Technology from the UK. After returning from the UK in 2002, he worked in various positions in the corporate sector until 2010, when he resigned to pursue fashion full time.
Atafo’s clothing label has gained popularity while attracting top clientele. He has dressed personalities such as Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 2005, Omowunmi Akinnifesi, and I.K. Osakioduwa. In addition, other famous personalities on his list are Mercy Johnson, 2Baba, Waje, Gbenro Ajibade, and Stephanie Okereke.
Atafo also launched his fashion line, Weddings by Mai, in 2011 with his designs being showcased at various high-profile events. Atafo has bagged numerous awards during his career to celebrate and appreciate his excellent craftsmanship. Some of the awards he has received include being the winner of City People Fashion and Style’s Hottest New Male Designer two years in a row, LFW Menswear Designer of the Year, Mode Men Magazine’s Fashion Designer of the Year, and Allure’s Most Stylish Man of the Year.
Atafo believes fashion is an all-round aspect. “Fashion goes beyond clothes. It is also hair and all those elements put together,” notes Atafo.
10. Ade Bakare
Ade Bakare is an established Nigerian fashion designer whose impeccable African designs have caused ripples around the globe. Having been in the fashion industry for two decades, his super elegant designs are popular, making him a household name in both Nigeria and London. His work is a perfect example of female sophistication.
Bakare was born and schooled in the UK, after which he was employed in some of the top and finest fashion houses of Christian Stambolian and Victor Edelstein. In 1991, he founded Ade Bakare Couture and began selling his own collections to various boutiques in England, Scotland, and Channel Islands.
His work ranges from exclusive evening gowns to stylish wedding gowns, hats and fragrances. He deals with high-end clients in both Nigeria and London, who have recognized his over-the-top fashion talent. Bakare also has perfumes named Breeze, and Ade Breeze which is a jersey line of his brand.
Bakare’s work has been showcased around the world in places such as New York, Vienna, Mozambique, Morocco, Paris, and Cape Town. Aside from having numerous English personalities and celebrities wearing his pieces, he also has first ladies, senators, and minister’s wives as clients. He has also been involved in numerous programs geared to inspire upcoming designers. The Ministry of Youth and Culture recognized Bakare for this role in supporting young and upcoming fashion designers.
Bakare has also received awards from the Paris Academy and Conde Nast Publication. His dresses are known to be classic with a modern twist while spanning various types of fabrics. Bakare is well-known and celebrated for his famous and luxurious female gazar and organza sweep coasts.
11. Kenneth Ize
Kenneth Ize’s name is on everyone’s lips. The Nigerian fashion designer and finalist for this year’s prestigious LVMH Prize, whose pieces have been worn by Naomi Campbell and Donald Glover, is giving a luxury finish to local artisanal aesthetics, rendering them desirable for high-end markets both at home and abroad.
Born in Lagos, Kenneth Ize is using his cross-cultural experiences to produce new contemporary forms in the Nigerian fashion industry. The designer received his fashion and design diploma in 2015, at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, under Hussein Chalayan. In this same year Izedonmwen also received the Fred Adlmüller scholarship during his graduation show.
Kenneth officially launched his fashion brand in Lagos in 2013, immediately after his 3 year in university in which Bernhard Wilhelm headed the fashion department. His knowledge and diverse experience from assisting Edun to Asher Levine in New York has flourished Kenneth into a talented creator. He is utilising his international expertise to contribute to an emerging Nigerian fashion industry, being recognised as a key player during Lagos fashion and design week for three consecutive years.
12. Lanre da Silva
Lanre da Silva born 1978 is a Lagos-based fashion designer considered to be one of Nigeria’s leading couturiers. Launched in 2005, her eponymous label includes couture, ready-to-wear, jewelry and hairpieces. Da Silva’s collections often incorporate metallic fabrics, lace and African patterns, while referencing the 1940s or 1800s. The Africa Fashion Guide recognizes her as having “… created a name for herself in high fashion in Nigeria.”
After studying finance and business in the UK, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi changed her path and became a fashion designer in Nigeria. However, this did not happen over night. ‘Success, as we all know, is a learning curve that comes with patience, perseverance, hard work and endurance.’
Her passion for the industry is her major driving force to work hard all the time. Lanre’s style is rich in femininity and uses a multitude of embellishments. Lanre was flattered and excited when asked to collaborate on Vlisco’s Season 3 – 2017 lookbook, as she had always loved Vlisco fabrics. ‘I particularly love how they pay homage to African arts and that they are an authentic Dutch Wax brand, the original Wax Hollandais.’
13. Kubi Oyelese
Kubi Oyelese Popularly known as April By, a nickname coined from her birth month of April, Kubi Oyelese is famous for her beautiful bridal pieces as well as designing beautiful dresses for celebs like Agbani Darego, Tiwa Savage, Toke Makinwa, Seyi Shay and many others. A graduate of the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology of New York, Kubi’s company was founded in 2010
Toluwaloju Oluwofoyeku ” Toju Foyeh “
When we talk about fashion, we seldom think of professional and corporate jobs. Now imagine a lawyer who becomes a fashionista. Does it sound weird or unique? It is definitely not something you see or hear everyday but in a capsule, that is the story of cultural phenom, Toju Foyeh.
Toluwaloju Olowofoyeku was born on July 18, 1989. She is a young, beautiful, petite and talented fashion designer. She developed passion for fashion at a very young age. Her mother sells unique fabric and her grandmother was a designer.
The Toju Foyeh Brand is one of the strongest clothing lines for women of style and class. It has become the one stop shop for ladies looking for sophisticated and glamorous cocktail and evening dresses. She followed her dreams and now Toju Foyeh is a cultural phenomenon both at home and abroad. Her pieces have become legendary and now she is celebrated home and abroad.
Kathy Anthony
The Nigerian based renowned fashion designer, Kathy Anthony is a wiz with the Ankara fabric and imparts her knowledge through her fashion academy. Oluwatoyin Iwukemjika of Kathy Anthony is one fashion expert that knows how to make magic with fabrics. From the long standing aso-oke, ankara and lace to modern trends of fabrics and bridals, Kathy Anthony wows her clients with her delectable designs.
Specialized in female attires, she is the choice of many Nigerian fashionistas when it comes to making dresses for any occasion; evenings, owanbes, conferences etc., Her creativity has transcended the borders of the nation to gain international recognition. Recently, she did not only make the evening dress for the American Miss Minnesota pageant contestant, Kathryn Kueppers, the red floor-length chef d’oeuvre won the best evening wear/social impact statement at the preliminary competition. Kathryn eventually won Miss Minnesota at the main pageant.
Oluwatoyin Iwukemjika is a trained economist and had worked as a staff of Sterling Bank where she discovered her love for fashion design. She worked at some fashion houses before setting up Kathy Anthony in 2010, encouraged and supported by her husband. Kathy Anthony has become a hub for bespoke customers’ choice attires. The brand also runs a sessional fashion academy -the House of Style Fashion Academy. Kathy Anthony is a loud and clear statement in the Nigerian fashion industry and every Nigerian woman needs a piece of this in their wardrobes.
Yomi Makun
When it comes to Fashion among Nigerian Men in Nigeria, Yomi Casual is one of the resounding names that take the lead in the Industry. He is one highly talented man that has carved a niche for himself through his exceptional designs. This is evident in the high demand for his works by Men in Nigeria and Africa at large. Below is a concise biography of the exceptional Nigerian Men Fashion Designer.
In the whole of Nigeria and Africa, the founder and CEO of the biggest African inspired Ready to Wear Clothing Label, Yomi Casual stands as the most favorite fashion designer to a majority of entertainers and Celebrities far and wide. He has a passion and determination to always provide smashing styles and designs that speaks volume to the world.
The voice behind the fashion designs of Yomi Casual is targeted towards portraying the African culture and tradition. Talking about the Yomi Casual brand, it spreads across every city in Nigeria and Africa at large as a true representation of originality and perfection. The brand “Yomi Casual” even goes farther to penetrate the hearts and wardrobes of most big men and women, most especially politicians and celebrities in Nigeria.
Notable among the vast clientele base of the Yomi Casual brand are some prominent personalities including:: JJ Okocha, Desmond Elliot, Alex Ekubo, Sammie Okposo, Timaya, Alibaba, AY, Majid Mitchell, Bovi, Chioma Chukwuka, Chidi Mokeme, Ramsey Nouah Jnr, Seyi Law, and many others.
Yemi Osunkoya
Yemi Osunkoya is the award winning designer behind the Kosibah label,Yemi established the Kosibah brand in London in 1991 and named the company in honour of his mother. The name Cosiba comes from the Republic of Benin and is the day name of a female child born on a Sunday.
Among the awards that Kosibah and Yemi have won are:
International Designer of the Year, City People, Feb 2012
100+ Black Achievers, July 2010
Fashion Diversity, Nov 2009
Excellence Award, Gathering of Africa’s Best
Diamond Recognition from National Weddings UK, Sep 2005
Bridal Designer of the Year, 2002 and 2004, Mahogany Bridal Awards
Highly Commended, National Wedding Show, March 2002
Celebrated clients include Louise Rose, leading actress of Universal film Life & Lyrics,Alesha Harvey, Sheila Ferguson formerly of the Three Degrees, Hollywood actress Indra Ové, Miss World Agbani Darego, and singer Stephanie Benson. Kosibah’s clientele is truly worldwide, although particularly well represented in the UK, Nigeria and USA.
Kosibah specialises in contemporary and elegant couture bridal, evening and formal day wear using luxurious fabrics and sumptuous embellishments. Yemi’s signature use of corsetry and boned bodices cleverly recreates the classical and elegant hourglass figure, producing gowns that curve, shape and flatter the wearer. All gowns are made to measure and made to order.
Kola kuddus
Kola Kudus makes bold statement with men’s fashion, either African, western and the best of all, a mix of both! A fast-rising designer who has carved a niche for himself with his bespoke designs, Kola creates clothes for the modern man and his collection of clothes comes in brilliant colors, high quality and is timeless.
A product of London College of Fashion, Kola Kudus’ menswear label showcased its 2012 collection at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW), a premiere fashion event that brings the media, fashion insiders, buyers and consumers to view the latest collections of selected designers.
Kola Kudus started as a personal shopper in 2004, the philosophy graduate grew into designing and outsourcing not as a pre-planned idea but it came to him when he had to make a career decision, seeing he was already in the line of business and because of his love for it, so in April/May of 2008, he setup up the fashion brand Kola Kuddus.
After Opening the Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW), Kola Kudus has been featured on the Fashion and Style Section of The New York Times. He had sent his look-book and he received a feedback letter saying his work was not good enough. Then about a week to the event, he got another letter saying that his brand, Kola Kuddus has been chosen to participate in the show and it was this show that brought him the feature on The New York Times. This further strengthens the impression which he sought to give with his exclusive menswear.
As it is, He has come through the ranks of emerging designers to be in a place where he has forged and consolidated his place in the Nigerian fashion industry. “I will not say I am the best designer in the country. For me, being the best has never been the target in what I do. I have always said I wanted to be a greater designer and a successful designer. You do not have to be the best designer to be successful but I know I can be one of the best in the world, which is something that is achievable.”
The Kola Kudus brand, he said, is distinctly modern but marked by rich color, flawlessly constructed designs and quality fabrics. He remains loyal to African trends and styles yet epitomize global glamour by offering men his innate fashion sense. The ready-to-wear collections pay careful attention to detail and his classic and casual styles are developed with modern aesthetic.
Toyin Lawani
Toyin Lawani was born March 1st, 1982 and is a business mogul, fashion designer, creative director, and a fashion stylist. She is the CEO of Tiannah’s Empire. Toyin Lawani was born into an affluent family, one who shaped her drive to succeed. She started her business at the age of 16, whilst an English Language undergraduate at the University of Lagos, with a boutique that traded clothes, shoes and other accessories. This boutique later expanded to become a supermarket. At 17, she opened up a spa on Akoka road, Yaba, a Lagos suburb with surprising clientele.
Toyin Lawani trained at Opral Benson Training Institute, Los Angeles School of Fashion for a Diploma Course, Exodus Hair School in India and Johnyim Fashion and Beauty Institute in Korea. From all this exposure, she dabbled in fashion and other ventures. Now she runs 20 businesses in one building. Tiannah’s Styling is one of the leading fashion houses in Africa. With a large clientele ranging from media houses, politicians and top celebrities, you can spot a Toyin Lawani design from miles away.
Toyin Lawani has worked on several fashion shows within and outside the country showcasing different designs or coordinating the shows. She coordinated the Mademoiselle Aglaia Fashion show in 2012, Showcased even while she was four months pregnant at the 2013 Africa Fashion Week London, Showcased the Iro and Buba Evolution at the 2015 Africa Fashion Week Nigeria and showcased her kiddies line (Elegante Kids) at the same event. In 2016, Toyin Lawani made headline all over the world as the first Nigerian Designer to organize a celebrity and kids runway show simultaneously and more.
Ituen Basi
Ituen Basi is a remarkable fashion designer. She began her career as an undergraduate of Theatre Arts at the University of Ife, where she designed and tailored costumes for stage plays and beauty pageants. Her love for fashion took her to further her studies in the field at American College in London and London College of Fashion, where she majored in Tailoring and Clothing Technology. Ituen Basi launched her brand in Lagos in 2009 and she was largely recognised for her exemplary skills in fabric treatment and print manipulation.
Her Ankara designs shook the industry in 2012, introducing not just wearable art but Ankara beads and bags. Her hard work is evident as her Ankara collection got her The Most Innovative Designer award in 2009 whilst her ‘Independence’ collection earned her Emerging Designer of the Year, Africa 2010 at the Africa Fashion Week, Johannesburg. In 2011, at the first Arise Magazine Fashion Week, her Love Series collection landed her the Most Creative Designer. Her ‘Double Take’ collection at the 2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa in Johannesburg, earned her Designer of the Year, Africa
Shiona Turini’s history with Barbie dolls is similar to that of many black women. Store shelves would be brimming with Barbie dolls in a range of different hair color shades—blonde, brunette, red, black, etc.—but when it came to complexion shades, options were few and far between. Then, in 1980, Turini’s sigh of relief came in the form of a black Barbie with an afro, clad in a fire red dress with gold accessories. Now, the former fashion editor and costume designer is making her own Barbie history by collaborating with Barbie Style to produce a a diverse collection of black dolls in honor of Black History Month.
“It was important for me to reflect Barbie as an icon through the lens of black culture during Black History Month,” Turini said in a statement. “I drew inspiration from the first black Barbie, who debuted her all-red look in 1980.
My vision was to style diverse dolls in bold looks with themes seen throughout my work, like contrasting snakeskin and leopard challenging traditional uniformity.”
Turini’s four-pronged collection showcases the versatility of black beauty and features 10 models of different skin tones and sizes, including a doll in a wheelchair, in various color palettes, including soft sherbet colors, all black, brown mixed with snakeskin, and red, the latter inspired by and featuring the first black Barbie doll.
The creative mind behind the movie “Queen & Slim” has designed Barbie’s latest looks, in honor of Black History Month.
Mattel worked with costume designer Shiona Turini to outfit a set of Barbies in 10 different hair styles, skin tones and body types.
“Thank you @barbiestyle — for collaborating with me to create Barbies with braids, finger waves and everything in between,” Turini writes in an Instagram caption announcing the collaboration. “Chicks by the layers, all different flavors. And even a curvy doll, in a crop top, with waist length twists. Baby Shiona is PROUD.”
Each look for the Barbies was inspired by three color themes: monochromatic, snakeskin mixed with black and white and sherbet colors. Though the outfits themselves aren’t for sale, the dolls modeling them are part of a new release of Black History Month Barbie dolls.
“My vision was to style diverse dolls in bold looks with themes seen throughout my work, like contrasting snakeskin and leopard, challenging traditional uniformity,” says Turini, while adding that she spent many childhood hours dressing Barbies.
“I grew up obsessed with @barbie and while she was one of my first fashion icons, I clearly remember searching shelves for a doll that looked like me and coming up empty handed,” she writes on Instagram.
Turini drew her inspiration from the first black Barbie, introduced in 1980 dressed in a sparkling red dress with an Afro. Turini’s red collection pays homage to the doll. Mattel has also brought back that first black Barbie, dressed in bold red as a 40th anniversary black Barbie doll.
Lately, Mattel has been releasing a gamut of diverse dolls in different sizes, colors, abilities and professions to keep up with the times. Recent additions include the gender-neutral doll, the Barbie Fashionistas line, the Barbie Wellness collection and Judge Barbie.
On Instagram, Turini points out that she is “the curvy Barbie in the crop top,” which is the fourth from the left. “Thank you @barbiestyle for making my childhood dreams come true, customizing these @queenandslim inspired snake skin boots + bodysuits, going thru the painstaking process of giving Barbie twists and allowing me the freedom to create something special so that my community can see themselves represented in such an iconic brand,” she writes on Instagram. “Life is good in the dream house.”
In the red collection, you can clearly see Turini’s personal style in her own red-clad outfit on Instagram, and this red collection reflects the first black Barbie who shined in red sparkles. “Here she is, on her customized throne, surrounded by friends created and styled by me. I hope other young children, and adult Barbie lovers, are as excited to see themselves reflected in these dolls as I am.”
In the “brights” collection, Turini says, “While flipping through styles a sherbet-green coat totally captured my eye. I loved it so much, I built an entire vignette around it.”
Content courtesy of Shiona Turini & Nairobi fashion hub
Entrepreneur Fashion Week is a great event with three key elements, Fashion shows, mini expo and master class that hat pulls together business owners, industry insiders, exhibitors and fashion lovers in East, south and West Africa across fast fashion, contemporary luxury and trends for the world apparel production and supply for both European and African buyers and an opportunity for brands to meet and spark possible business opportunities & collaborations.
Brief History about E- fashion week
This is our story, Entrepreneur Fashion Week is a three-day event and in three years, the business has surpassed what we had imagined forcing us to transform the event from a single day to a three-day event to accommodate the numbers and give participants & sponsors more ROI.
We have before attracted the attention of the official manufacturers and branding company of Walt Disney & Marvel studios and released the kids’ collection in EA through our platform, attracted brands that have been featured not once in the British Vogue, Tatler, The Face magazine and British GQ. and many more others. Some of these brands are part of their country’s export program while others dress and style media personalities like Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew”, pop music’s Frankie Zulferino, and NFL star Jonathan Casillas and Jidenna “Performing & recording artist of Bambi & Classic man”.
we can not hide from the fact that we have before partnered with but not limited to; DHL Kenya, Tuko.co.ke, Airborne Vajaz Manufacturers, Blaze by Safaricom, Kenyan Entrepreneur.
We have grown to become a noticeable and influential voice in the fashion, beauty, textile, and lifestyle industry in Kenya by only engaging and working with credible businesses, reliable brands with a good reputation.
The Promise Edition has even attracted more interest for both Africa & the West. More and more brands (both established & emerging are interested in the entrepreneur fashion week making it clear that we are trading on the right path ad changing businesses and people’s lives.
Content courtesy of e-fashion week & Nairobi fashion hub
Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi made history last Thursday by becoming the first African designer to show his clothes on the elite Paris haute couture catwalk. “I’ve worked very hard to get to this point. It was my third time trying and it worked! It was a very touching moment,” he said of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode’s (FHCM) strict rules and regulations.
As widely known, only a few of the world’s most prestigious luxury labels including Dior, Chanel and Givenchy have a right to call their clothes haute couture, but Ayissi is the first designer from Sub-Saharan Africa to be invited to show an Haute Couture collection.
Both Saint Laurent and former FHCM chairman Didier Grumbach endorsed his candidacy and pushed for his profile to be accepted as part of this season’s calendar. Cameroon-born Ayissi, 51, a dancer, performance artist, model and now couturier is a champion of traditional fabric and techniques from his homeland.
Ayissi said his mission is to show how hugely diverse African cultures are. “I am so proud that I can show my work and showcase real African fabrics and African heritage,” he told AFP .
According to Ayissi, who refuses to use West African wax prints due to colonial ties, “when we talk about African fashion, it’s always wax, which is a real pity because it’s killing our own African heritage.”
Ayissi told AFP he wanted to open up “a new path for Africa” and find an “alternative way of doing luxury fashion”. Every one of his pieces is painstakingly handmade per the criteria of haute couture.
He uses local materials like the strip fabric kente woven by the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast, which was originally worn only by nobles. He also uses African luxury tropes by using a Cameroonian tie-dye technique referred to as “Mon mari est capable” translated as “My husband can handle it”.
As the son of an African boxing champ, Jean-Baptiste Ayissi Ntsama, and the first Miss Cameroon following the country’s independence in 1960, Ayissi is making Africa proud by joining the fashion’s creme de la creme with his African skills.
He credits his mom for his love for fashion. “She’s so elegant, not only because of her fashion but the way she carries herself – she emanates strength and grace,” he told Vogue.
“Within the family, we had boxing and dancing clans, and a bit of modeling too, and mother loved all that,” the designer said. “I did a bit of boxing, it was obligatory, it was the family tradition, after all, then I started to dance,” he said.
Ayissi had relocated to the French capital to work as a dancer and model walking for the likes of Dior, Givenchy, and Lanvin until he started his own label in 2004.
For Spring/Summer 2020, the designer used raffia, threads from Burkina Faso, and indigo dye from Cameroon coupled with fermented mud which has been described as infinitely more luxurious than the materials sounds.
To add sophistication to his African collection, Ayissi even used a highly sophisticated hand-woven material decorated with “obom”- the bark of a tropical tree.
His collection which shows his craftmanship has gotten him in the door of the extremely select haute couture club and brought him to an exalted position regarded as a rare rite of passage in Paris.
Haute couture shows only take place in Paris and the criteria to enter and remain in fashion’s elite club are strictly enforced by French law.
Content courtesy of Face to Face Africa & Nairobi fashion hub Online Digital Team
Lupita Nyong’o declined her invitation to the Golden Globes in order to holiday in Ghana. Although snapshots of her new-year trip have been scarce – “Privacy is a commodity that is hard to come by,” the British Vogue cover star says in the February issue – she took to Instagram to share her visit to Studio 189.
Winner of the 2018 CFDA Lexus Sustainable Fashion Award, the social enterprise, co-founded by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, provides a platform to help curate and promote African fashion. Nyong’o explored the Art of Creation installation within the Osu Accra space, which homes in on the craftsmanship techniques used by the continent’s artisan communities, including natural plant-based dye, hand-batik and kente weaving, and also its educational schemes around ethical fashion.
The Studio thanked Nyong’o for “vibing” with its members, and indeed the actor looked the part, wearing printed dresses and jumpsuits in gorgeous colourways teamed with equally vibrant sandals. The Teva Hurricane XLT2 style was created in collaboration with activewear start-up Outdoor Voices, and sold out within a week of launch in May 2019. Nyongo’s cushioned soles are officially called Fusion Coral, but Shaded Spruce and Dark Denim iterations are also in circulation.
“Our XLT2 is sporty, cool, and makes everything from white water rafting to belly flopping totally possible!” Ty Haney, founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices, said upon the launch of the Velcro shoes. So far, Nyongo’s Tevas have taken her bike-riding, forest walking and to Ghanaian food institution Papaye, before she jets back to Hollywood for the Critics’ Choice Awards on 13 January. Will her trip to Africa influence her red-carpet look? Stay tuned.
The Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards (ASFAs) is one of the fashion’s biggest events of the year and draws attendance from some of the industry’s most impressive luminaries, from models, designers, and musicians.
The 7th edition of the annual awards was hosted by events emcee Deedan and Zimbabwean award-winning model Vimbai Mutinhiri, last evening at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
There were 12 awards categories in total, which were all put out for voters to vote their best fashionistas of the year, except the Lifetime Achievement award.
Last night the starz rushed to Serena to prove they were the most fashionable, but only a select few went home with statues. In case you were not near a television or had no data last night, no worries. Here’s the list of all the winners of the night. Are they the ones you expected?
All The Winners from The 2019 Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award – Ozwald Boateng
Icon Award – Jidenna
Positive Change – Susan Guerts
Special Recognition Award for Innovation – Kayiira
Fashion Designer of the Year (Uganda) – Kaijuka Abbas
Fashion Designer of the Year (Africa) – Ifeanyi Nwune
Model of the Year (Uganda) – Aliet Sarah
Model of the Year (Africa) – Shanelle Nyasiase
Fashion Stylist of the Year (Uganda) – Mavo Kampala
Fashion Stylist of the Year (Africa) – Chuck Mbevo
Hair Stylist of the Year (Uganda) – Ice Kenny
Hair Stylist of the Year (Africa) – Corrine Muthoni
Fashion Photographer (Uganda) – Walter Keys
Fashion Photographer (Africa) – Andile Mthembu
Make Up Artist of the Year (Uganda) – Nayha Glam
Make Up Artist of the Year (Africa) – Lavie Makeup
Most Stylish Female Artiste (Uganda) – Spice Diana
Most Stylish Female Artiste (Africa) – Souhila
Most Stylish Male Artiste (Uganda) – Fik Fameica
Most Stylish Male Artiste (Africa) – Burna Boy
Fashionable Music Video Award(Uganda) – “Sunday” by Allan Tonix, Slick Stuart and Roger
Fashionable Music Video Award (Africa) – Pull Up by Burna
Fashion Media Excellence Award (Uganda) – Gloria Haguma
Fashion Media Excellence Award (Africa) – Bella Naija
Star Maker – Joram Muzira
Content courtesy of Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards
