The Runway’s Beautiful Looks From Lagos to South Africa

Fashion weeks are taking center stage and gaining significant recognition throughout Africa. There is no way to gauge the extent of fashion’s influence on the continent—from South Africa’s South African Fashion Week and Cape Town Fashion Week to Nigeria’s Heineken Lagos Fashion Week, Senegal’s Dakar Fashion Week, Ghana’s Accra Fashion Week, and a plethora of additional events. In research recently issued in association with Lagos Fashion Week, UNESCO estimated that the industry’s yearly export value is close to $15 billion.
Heineken Lagos Fashion Week is one of the most anticipated fashion events in Africa and is a branch of Style House Files.

Heineken Lagos Fashion was established in 2011 by lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Omoyemi Akerele, and since then, it has solidified its place in Africa’s fashion and beauty landscape. This year, enthusiasts for African beauty and fashion gathered in the well-known Federal Palace Hotel, which is located in the center of Victoria Island, one of the nation’s most suburban areas. Officially, the Heineken Lagos Fashion Week 2023 runway went from October 26 to October 29. Lush Hair, Spotify, MTN, and a few more sponsors supported the event.

The atmosphere was the same at SAFW, the South African Fashion Week. Starting on October 19 and running through October 21, the event featured a cocktail party hosted by Cruz Vodka, a high-end beverage manufacturer.

Lucilla Booyzen founded the event, which this year was unforgettable and marked a turning point for African fashion. They have accomplished this, among other things, by supporting and providing funds to up-and-coming and established African designers, as well as by mentoring and generally offering them more worldwide possibilities to reach a mainstream market. This year was no exception.

In Lagos, the Federal Palace Hotel’s Balmoral Palace served as the conference site; in South Africa, the stunning Mall of Africa served as the venue. Arriving with their most innovative fashion ideas, attendees vied with one another in everything from cosmetics to attire.

A significant feature that caught my attention was the beautiful looks on the runways, in addition to the clothes on display and the designers exhibiting their extraordinary skills. Every designer asked the models to walk the runway wearing ensembles that best reflected the narratives they wished to portray. BeautyMatter showcases some of these amazing outfits.

Hair
Hairstyling is a big deal for every fashion week, and the runway presentations from Lagos Fashion Week and South Africa did not disappoint. Afros, weaves, braids, and ponytails were among the captivating looks that the attendees were left with. Carlton Hair was the official hair sponsor for SAFW, and Lush Hair was the official sponsor in Lagos. “Carlton Hair is committed to quality, professionalism, and sustainability.
We are thrilled to be working with SAFW because we believe they share these values,” the firm said.
Our goal is to provide stylists and clients with the chance to learn about the newest hair and fashion trends. Lush Hair Nigeria has inked a new two-year deal to serve as Lagos Fashion Week’s official sponsor, as BeautyMatter just discovered.

Nigerian brands with sleek ponytails on the runway included Pepper Row (by Omafume Niemogha), Cute-Saint (by Muftau Femi Ajose), and Elexiay (by Elyon Adede); Ivorian brands, Kenyan brands, and Malian brands, Mariah Bocoum Couture, all styled their models with different braids.

Additionally, there were occasions where it was either “go bald or go home,” with models Oyama Gonintebe from South Africa or GËTO (by Samantha Adebayo) from Nigeria showcasing their best moments.
Natural hair was the most popular hairstyle, just like braids, ponytails, and weaves, especially on female models. SAFW featured a lot of these hairstyles, particularly from companies like Munkus (by Thando Ntuli), Thulattu South Africa, VNTU Official, and Elwen Designs.

Face Beats
Makeup may effectively convey the designer’s vision for the collections, regardless of how obvious or subtle it is. During fashion week, the finishing touches are what take fashion to the next level of artistry and support the idea that they are the link between art and design.
This was the situation for companies like Kadiju, Rendoll, and Jewel Jemila during Lagos Fashion Week. These manufacturers complemented their models with precisely contoured crimson blush in the manner of the 1980s and dewy highlighters.
Additionally, there were a lot of neutral hues from companies like Desirée Iyama and Studio Imo from Nigeria, Helon Melon from South Africa, and Mantsho from Palesa Mokubung. Despite being simple, every color stroke supported the designer’s idea and presented a different tale.

Conversely, some performances in Lagos and South Africa featured incredibly striking costumes.
We saw the avant-garde lip transformation looks from brands like Oriré, Viviers Studio, and Abigail Ajobi, which were either very black-colored or glittery, almost three-dimensional, as well as the dramatic allure of the smoky eyes from brands like Kadiju (by Oyindamola Aleshinloye), Rendoll (by Reni Abina), Oshobor, and Love From Julez.

Accessories
The secret beauty components that added individuality and flair to every event this year from Lagos and South Africa were accessories like headwraps and earrings. Whether they were bold hoops, delicate studs, or statement chandeliers, earrings gave the looks at KikoRomeo, Gëto, Desirée Iyama, Elexiay, Cynthia Abila, and Pepper Row even more pop.
Models wore stunning earrings on the runway, including ones fashioned like roses, petals, animal patterns, big circles, or even just studs.

Conversely, headwraps added historical and cultural details, making every runway presentation a story. In African culture, they might represent power and custom, or they can just be a fashionable accessory. Leading the way on this one were South Africa’s Sun Goddess Afro Lux, Black Coffee, and streetwear brand Leon Von Solms.
The majority of the headwraps had prints on them, such as stripes in black and white.

Last but not least, sunglasses, the pinnacle of stylish and useful fashion accessories, were essential in enhancing the glitz of beauty looks during fashion. Cute-Saint, a fashion company, has been infusing this into every runway collection for years, and this year’s show did not let them down.

The chic beauty looks on this year’s runway was complemented by an aura of mystery and seduction generated by oversized frames, sleek aviators, and retro cat-eyed shapes in hues of black and white.

Content courtesy of Beauty Matter & NFH