It’s about that time of the year again as Lagos Fashion Week draws near. The event is an annual multi-day fashion event founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele via Style House files, Heineken and British council. With the fashion industry on the rise in Africa, Heineken Lagos Fashion Week brought together prominent stakeholders in the African fashion industry to impart their insight on the theme, #BeyondCreativity for this years ‘Fashion Focus Talks’
Fashion Focus Talks is a product of Fashion Focus Africa, a platform intent on positively impacting fashion creatives. The annual talks are a series of specially organised free events targeted at young African creatives in the fashion industry. In previous years, the event has taken place in popular Nigerian cities such as Lagos and Abuja. The 2019 edition of the event widened its reach by including Dakar and Kigali. Speakers at the Fashion Focus Talks across the states were prominent creatives and designers. The speakers were charged with bringing up significant conversations that would impact the lives of younger generations of fashion lovers and enthusiasts.
Fashion moguls and professionals such as: Selly Raby Kane, Sarah Diouf, Rukky Ladoja, Sophie Nzinga SY, Pierra Ntayombya, Anna Toure, Terfa Ashwe, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Mai Atafo, Isioma Onochie Aihie, Sanyade Okoli and Joseph Ike were asked to speak at the Fashion Focus talks. The event created a suitable atmosphere for fashion innovation, networking and mentorship. The attendees were able to build a sense of togetherness through collaboration and knowledge sharing amongst one another- an environment in which the African fashion industry can thrive.
Some of the fashion professionals at the Fashion Week Focus Talk in Lagos
Rukky Ladoja Creative Director of GREY Projects commented on her experience as a speaker in all 4 cities “As an individual that has experienced the varying elements of building a fashion brand in Africa, it’s important for me to pass on what I have learnt and Fashion Focus Talks has been the ideal platform for me to do so. Creativity abounds on this continent, ensuring that these brands are given all they need to succeed is imperative for the growth of the African fashion industry.”
In the wake of the Fashion Week Focus Talks, the Heineken Lagos Fashion Week Nigeria will hold from the 23rd of October to 26th October. Here’s to the celebration of the African fashion industry.