By Yemisi Suleiman 

The Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) 2024, in collaboration with Sterling Bank, held its 10th anniversary recently, to rave reviews. The three days event, held at the Oriental Hotel Victoria Island Lagos, showcased an exciting lineup of collections that blended western and indigenous fabrics, promoting African fashion culture and heritage. 

It featured a runway showcase from young emerging designers across Africa, as well as a classic showing by some established brands, including Ade Bakare, Trish O Couture, and Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Pa Musa amongst others. 

Day one of the event kicked off with a summit with the theme: African Fashion and Economic Impact on Art, Music, Film and Tech.  The summit delved into the economic impact of African fashion on various industries. It brought together industry experts, thought leaders, and creatives to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the African fashion industry.

The runway shows featured collections that were beautifully crafted and showcased the vast diversity of African fashion. One of the highlights of the event was the emerging designers competition, which was won by Adesua Ella Impens of Lambert Fashion. Impens received an all-expense-paid trip to showcase at Africa Fashion Week London 2025, as well as a staycation at KAP Academy courtesy of Sterling Bank.

AFWN’s partnership with Sterling Bank demonstrates a commitment to supporting Nigerian businesses and the economy. According to the Founder of AFWN, Ronke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi, the competition is part of AFWN’s ongoing mission to spotlight and nurture fresh talent, giving young African designers a global platform to showcase their work.

Some of the outstanding looks from the AFWN Runway included flowing gowns made with traditional African prints, as well as modern and minimalistic designs that featured asymmetrical cuts and bold colors. There was also a strong trend towards sustainable fashion, with many designers using recycled materials and promoting ethical production methods.

Overall, the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2024 was a celebration of African fashion and culture, showcasing the vast diversity of the continent’s design talent. The event highlighted the economic impact of African fashion on various industries, and provided a platform for emerging designers to showcase their work and connect with industry leaders and influencers.