I’ve been loving the transformations happening in the African fashion industry in recent years. It’s great to see that our cultural fabrics are now worn by the younger generation in the diaspora with much pride. No longer is it an item for just owambe parties you attend with your parents.
The first time I attended the Africa Fashion Week London show was in 2014. I had just finished university and was enjoying being back in London. I had also just started blogging and I was excited to cover the event. You can still find the post here and what I wore on the day here.
Fast forward to 2017, and I’m invited as an influencer for the annual show. The only constant thing is change right? And progress when you work hard, I must add. So this year, I joined other bloggers and guests to watch the coveted fashion show for African designers in the diaspora. It was great to see the advancement the AFWL team had also made, the event was at the Freemason’s Hall in Covent Garden. It’s definitely a beautiful space and I was awed by it all.
I walked in to the reception area where I was given a press lanyard and wristband which allowed me to whizz into the catwalk hall before it was opened to others. But before that, up a flight of stairs was an area for exhibitors. There were so many brands and designers showcasing their designs and wares which were all for sale. I saw many innovative ways the ankara fabric was used to make different products and I was both amazed and inspired.
Perhaps I should take a stall next year to showcase statement pieces from Ofio? Hmm, we shall see!
Although I attended both days, I only watched the second(and last) catwalk show on the 1st day and the first show on the second day which started at 3pm. The Africa Fashion Week London show for 2017 was on the 11th and 12th of August, a Friday and Saturday. I was grateful to have been dressed by a brand- Grass Fields(check out the post here) on the first day and a designer- Duchess Avenue(post coming next week) on the second day.
The images below are from the 3pm catwalk show. I must say my favorite designer of the day was Tubo, and strangely enough, I now recognize her designs whenever I see it on social media. I was truly impressed. The other designers were also marvelous of course. Enjoy the images.
The AFWL 2017 was well planned and made for a good outing. Seeing the African fashion industry grow is amazing, and there is still room for even more growth. We’re fast on the rise and I can’t wait for our world domination! lol. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and it made for a good day out although there was a little fracas about our sitting arrangements which I wouldn’t go into in depth. I hope for future collaborations, the organizers will truly organize themselves and change the stereotype of Nigerian events and ageism.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this summary of the AFWL event. Have you attended a fashion show before? What do you look forward to the most? Talk to me in the comments 🙂
