New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is the pinnacle of fashion events in the world. Designers, models, and celebrities come together from far and wide to showcase and swoon over some of the best fashion designs you’ll ever see.
African designers and African design have become a highlight at NYFW and fashion weeks across the world as the first world begins to embrace traditional African elements.
Oshobor
Launched in 2020 by Nigerian designer, Oshobor Odion Peter, the brand finds themselves showcasing on the biggest fashion runway in the world. Oshobor offers slow-fashion inter-knitted with indigenous Nigerian elements. The brand was birthed from the love of the father-son relationship. Furthermore, Oshobor chose to oppose toxic masculinity with collections like Na Man You Be and Omo No Mose, which celebrate the strength, independence, confidence and boldness of femininity.
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Studio 189
Studio One Eighty Nine is the brainchild of American actress, Rosario Dawson, which you might know from Men in Black II (2002), The Rundown (2003), Rent (2005), Sin City (2005), to name but a few. Her business partner, Abrima Erwiah has been in the fashion and luxury industries for more than 16 years and she has worked for brands such as Bottega Veneta, a luxury goods company under Kering (former Gucci Group) where she stayed for nearly a decade, as well as Hermes. The brand currently operates an e-commerce site, while its manufacturing facility is based in Accra.
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Head of State
Nigerian-born, Taofeek Abijako was introduced to fashion and design as he often joined his father to his studio in Lagos. His trips with his dad sparked his fascination with the social relationships that exist in the everyday, married with art in marginalized spaces. Abijako is a force to be reckoned with as back in 2018, he showcased his Head of State collection at NYFW: Men for the first time, which made him the youngest designer to showcase.
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Onalaja
At the centre of Onalaja is inclusivity and accessible luxury. While there is definitely a time and place for couture, it makes a girl like me very happy to see wearable, or demi-couture designs on runways like NYFW. It makes me even happier to see diverse sizing, especially in African fashion lines that cater to curvy African queens – like me! Onalaja’s sizes range from XXS to XXXXL and merge African and modern, contemporary designs to celebrate a host of femininities that exist.
@onalajaofficial Baby Blues 🥰 #onalaja #babytok #fashiontiktok ♬ Life Is a Beautiful Moment – ASMR PINK
Korlekie
British-Ghanaian fashion designer, Beatrice Korlekie launched the brand Korlekie in 2013. The label explores heritage in craft techniques and culture, offering the best of handcrafted luxury garments and accessories.
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Compiled by Marian Volkwyn
Also see: Looks styled by Phupho Gumede in 2023
