As if we weren’t already excited by the upcoming Africa Fashion Week London event taking place on 11-12 August 2017, and the organisers decide to whet our appetite by giving us a sneak peek of what to expect from their designers who showcased their capsule collections on a specially made catwalk for Africa Utopia at the Southbank Centre on 22 July 2017.
The designers included:
Slow-Case by Odette Steele. Her remit was to highlight the throwaway culture of the western world and how many of their unwanted fashions end up in African markets. Odette showed off her textile training to upcycle and redecorate the plain western textiles into something desirable and luxurious.
A past AFWL designer, Bola Obileye of Tote Collections showed us her love of vintage 1950s glamour with petticoat-ed rockabilly dresses in African print (of course!), mixed with Roy Lichtenstein pop art inspired pencil skirts and clutch bags. Totally inspiring!
New-comer and freshly graduated Abisola Akanni, showed us a collection of menswear that was full of fun, colour, drama. We can’t wait to see what she shows on the AFWL catwalk and in the future.
AFWL Head Stylist, Samson Soboye, couldn’t help but bring two collections to the catwalk. Womenswear full of slinky glamour and shine; and menswear showing tailored dinner jackets paired with Japanese Obi belts and Africanized kimonos.
London-based designer Yemzi wowed us with a completely print free collection, dark and moody, but beautifully tailored bang up to date playsuits, shorts, jackets. She promises a new collection for the main event in August, and we can’t wait to see it!
AFWL veteran designer Tina Ugo of Didi Creations showed us the next level for Kaftans. Beautiful sexy, netted, bold print, lace. All paired with head wraps and slink. Beautiful.
Photography by Rod Leon.
