VVS Lagos isn’t your average festival — it’s where Africa’s creative industries converge to imagine what comes next.
21 hours ago
VVS Lagos isn’t your average festival — it’s where Africa’s creative industries converge to imagine what comes next.
At the intersection of fashion, art, film, music, and technology, VVS is a weeklong cultural convention held annually in Lagos, Nigeria. Now in its fourth edition, VVS Lagos 2025 gathered artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, and thinkers under one bold theme:
“Este Fuego: The Fire Forging the Future.”
More than just a slogan, the theme invited participants to look to the past to shape the future, framing African heritage as a launchpad— not a limitation.
Founded by Nigerian designer Ifeanyi Nwune, VVS (short for “Very Very Special”) is a creative platform designed to elevate African talent and accelerate the continent’s global cultural influence. Think of it as South by Southwest meets Art Basel, with a distinctly African spirit.
Each year, VVS turns Lagos into a living, breathing showcase of innovation, identity, and imagination — drawing local legends, global tastemakers, and rising stars into one space.
From its digital launch to its final runway show, VVS Lagos 2025 offered seven days of immersive programming, curated to spotlight the power of African creativity across industries.
Things kicked off online with a fashion campaign featuring cultural figures like Pretty Boy D.O. and Neo Akpofure, setting the tone for a new kind of creative movement.
At the same time, the newly launched VVS Society Broadcast Channel shared daily reflections and inspiration from Nigerian icons like Nancy Isime, Runtown, and Ugo Mozie — building community and anticipation ahead of the in-person events.
VVS isn’t just about style — it’s about substance. The VVS Conversations series gathered top minds across fashion, tech, art, and policy for real-talk panels on storytelling, commerce, cultural preservation, and innovation.
Speakers included:
Tokyo James, Richard Vedelago, Titilayo Oshodi, Tolulope Akinpetoye, Osione Itegboje, Abiola Adelana, Malik Afegbua, and Day Ayoade.
The event was Supported by the British Council and Ledrop Spirits, with these sessions were hosted at the John Randle Museum by Seyitan Atigaran and Anto Lecky.
To support emerging talent, VVS also launched Future Labs — a new mentorship and grant initiative for young artists aged 16–24, developed in partnership with The GoodCO.
The week blended historical reflection with modern creativity in stunning fashion (literally).
The Code Switch: Icons & Inheritance exhibition — curated by Sosa Omorogbe of 1897 Gallery — brought African symbolism and textiles to life through art, highlighting motifs like Nsibidi and Adinkra in a contemporary lens.
The Icons Exhibition, curated by Eniafé Momodu, paid tribute to African fashion design legends and the cultural pioneers shaping tomorrow.
At its heart, VVS remains deeply tied to fashion as a storytelling vehicle.
This year’s trunk show gave attendees a chance to shop and connect with designers championing ethical production and sustainability.
The final runway show — featuring I.N Official, LFJ Official, and TJ-Who — was a visceral expression of the “Este Fuego” theme. Every silhouette on the catwalk felt like a statement: bold, rooted, and unapologetically African.
The VVS Film Screening, hosted in collaboration with the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), featured a keynote by AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude and intimate chats with Ugo Mozie, Ini Edo, and Natse Jemide — proving that Nigerian cinema has just as much to say as its fashion.
Live music performances by Ayanfe and Caleboniel previewed an upcoming VVS Lagos album, weaving sound into the overall creative fabric of the event.
The success of VVS Lagos 2025 was built on strong partnerships — with backing from the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, the Lagos State Government, and private sector allies like Topship, Sterling Bank, MTN, LeDrop Spirits, and British Council.
Together, they helped VVS create more than just a spectacle — they helped it build infrastructure for African creative industries to thrive long-term.
“Este Fuego is not about fleeting moments,” said founder Ifeanyi Nwune.
“It is the fire of lineage passed through generations, carried forward by our communities. We are building, together, the creative reality that waits for no one.”
From the runway to the gallery, from the conference floor to the livestream, VVS Lagos 2025 proved that African creativity isn’t just global — it’s generational.
Follow @vvslagos on Instagram and X for recaps, behind-the-scenes, and updates on the VVS Lagos album release.
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