Africa FashionWeek Nigeria 2014

Africa Fashion Week Nigeria is set to add to Nigeria’s events landscape with the first International Fashion Runway Show that has special focus on up-coming designers in the country. Themed: “The People’s Runway” the event is coming with the objective of illuminating the creative exploits of the real talents in the Nigerian Fashion turf, especially the relatively undiscovered ones, to help them build sustainable careers for themselves. It will also showcase the achievements of the established designers and celebrate the veteran icons of the Nigerian fashion sector.

Happening on the 18^th of May at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island Lagos, the Catwalk shows at AFWN 2014, will feature Veteran designer Princess Abba Folawiyo, the doyenne of Nigerian fashion sector, since pre-independence days, and 15 established designers as well as 40 new designers. AFWN season one, it will be open to all Nigerian, African and international media houses, for global dissemination.

Some of the established designers, who have been showcasing at the London Version of the event (ie Africa Fashion Week London) since 2011, will also be on ground to participate at Africa Fashion Week Nigeria. Designers such as Yutees, Zarita, Didi Creations, Dzyn, Meg Alabi, will be coming from Africa Fashion Week London to take advantage of the opportunity and display their talented creations to Nigerian fashion connoisseurs and general public.

Africa Fashion Week Nigeria Season one is divided into two events happening on the same day. The first show will be in the afternoon while the gala show will be later in the evening. The afternoon pre- Gala show will be showcasing a cross section of brands including Isi Atagamen, Buchiver, Dé Laurels, YCR, Ifeanyi Nwune, IJC collections, Afrikanus by Rui Lopes, AAMAA a la Mode, Elikem The Tailor,Magnetic Elegance[ME], Long feet boutique, Faerens, Jazz Effect,Yon Seno, Belois Couture, Mademoiselle Anglaia, Meg Alabi.

These designers will be showcasing their full collections at Africa Fashion Week Nigeria on a sponsored show, funded by AFWN’s sponsors.

The evening Gala fashion showcase will feature designers Elegante by Tiannahs styling, Yutees, Zarita Couture, Dyzn ,House of Marie, Emos Ejiro, Didi Creations, Big Ben, Raymona, Queen E collection, Awe Dzyn, AFT, Lines by Chaab,Style by Adesuwa,BA'AN WURE,St Eves. The climax of the evening will be a special inspiring showcase by Veteran Designer Princess Abba Folawiyo of Labanella Couture which will end the runway show.

Speaking on the AFWN runway shows, the founder and CEO Africa Fashion Week London and Nigeria, Ronke Ademiluyi reassured Nigerians that the show will not only be a success, but it will foster a paradigm shift towards the perception of fashion design as an instrument of economic reconstruction. According to her: “The first edition of the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria is set be a successful one. We have such a diverse cross section of designers participating, showcasing the great talent coming out of Nigeria & Africa as a whole at the moment. We intent to create a generation of Brand New Nigerian Designers by need analysis  which is identifying what the young up coming designers need and creating a method of assisting them into becoming sustainable brands We are confident that this will positively impact on the economic growth of Nigeria”