‘Tis the fashion week season, but you already knew that; undoubtedly thanks to showstopping looks that make the headlines and the viral clip of Ciara closing the Fruche. This Lagos Fashion Week has been all spectacle and innovation. 

Designers like Dimeji Ilori, Hertunba, and Imad Eduso used fabrics and craftsmanship to tell stories about their heritage. Hertunba, ever true to her signature, used woven fabrics known as Akwete, a technique native to the Abia state. Dimeji Ilori took onlookers down a nostalgic path as he reconstructed familiar household objects like mats into clothing. While Imad Eduso took a complete 360 from the designs typically of her eponymous label. The ever-contemporary brand unveiled a collection rooted in tradition, using velvet, corals, and traditional Edo accessories.

It has also been a year of anniversaries. The Spring-Summer 26 (SS26) collection kicked off with Onalaja, founded by Kanyinsola Onalaja. The collection titled ‘Marked’ was a celebration of the brand’s ten years. Nevertheless, the main celebrant of the event was Lagos Fashion Week itself, as this is its 15th year. 

15 years of Lagos Fashion Week:

The event, founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele with the explicit goal of driving the Nigerian and African fashion industry, has repositioned fashion from a creative curiosity into a commercially viable global force. Over its nearly 15-year tenure, LagosFW has profoundly impacted the industry by becoming Africa's largest fashion event, successfully connecting thousands of African designers with international buyers and media, thereby establishing a critical pipeline for global market access. The 2025 edition is no different, with international publications like Vogue and Guzangs. 

In its 15 years, Lagos Fashion Week has made a space for brands, established or emerging, to spotlight their designs. This year has been a gift of surprises, with designers pushing past the stereotype of “What is African fashion?” They are showing that African fashion can be traditional, experimental, and avant-garde. Some designs are conservative, others daring. The event has been immersive and boundary pushing, and lucky for us, the ‘Detty December’ season is around the corner. 

Detty December in Lagos is the one time of the year when you can guarantee there is an event happening every single day. This provides an opportunity for Lagosians to wear a ‘Sunday Best’ every day. These are some of the collections I would love to see take over the holiday season:

Sevon Dejana: