Lagos Fashion Week, firm partner to transform Africa’s fashion economy

The Lagos Fashion Week has partnered The Bicester Collection to host a roundtable discussion to propel the fashion industry in Nigeria and Africa to greater heights.

Titled ‘The Fabric of Change’, the event brought together key industry voices to explore the intersection of fashion, culture and sustainability, with a particular focus on how these elements are a driving force for transformation within the African fashion industry.

In partnership with The Bicester Collection, a global family of 12 luxury shopping destinations, with more than 20 years pedigree of supporting emerging talent, the coalition aim to continue its mission of empowering the next generation of African designers through mentorship programmes and retail opportunities. One of the goals is to showcase works by the African designers to a wider audience across the collection’s portfolio of Villages in Europe, China and North America.

Additionally, the roundtable continues The Bicester Collection’s six-year partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) contextualising both entities’ commitment to championing talent and delivering positive socio-economic and environmental impact. Tamu McPherson, the organisation’s Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador, took part in the engaging conversations.

‘The Fabric of Change’ highlighted how initiatives such as the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards have offered a platform for African designers and explored the impact on previous winners, such as Ahluwalia, who scooped The Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers 2023 and NKWO, who won a year before. It also explored how partnerships with luxury destinations can be scaled to foster economic growth and sustainable development in the African fashion industry, focusing on actionable strategies, broadening market access and amplifying the visibility of African craftsmanship globally.

The winners, along with finalists including ‘Made for a Woman’ and Torlowei, the brands have all participated in The Creative Spot, a pop-up boutique that was first launched in 2016 at Fidenza Village near Milan, one of the Villages in The Bicester Collection. The pop-up gives emerging designers the opportunity to sell their work among the curated portfolio of the world’s most renowned fashion and lifestyle brands that are present across the Collection. Since its launch, The Creative Spot has also opened at Bicester Village near London, Maasmechelen Village near Brussels, La Roca Village near Barcelona and Wertheim Village near Frankfurt, and the boutique is currently present at Shanghai Village in China.

Speaking ahead of the event, Laurent Vinay, Chief Brand and International Communications Officer at The Bicester Collection, said, “Our collaboration with Lagos Fashion Week and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting emerging talent and fostering cultural exchange. We look forward to engaging with designers and gaining insights from these vital discussions.”

Also speaking, Tamu McPherson, CNMI Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador, stated: “I am so thrilled to return to Lagos Fashion Week, this time invited by Bicester Collection as CNMI ambassador representing their partnership, to create a platform that highlights the African fashion industry’s journey in further elevating the continent’s rich cultures, influential fashion and inherently sustainable traditions. The Bicester Collection has been supporting emerging talents with initiatives like The Creative Spot – it offers an incredible platform for emerging talents. The specially designed retail space at Fidenza Village, along with the incredible media coverage and the curated launch events really highlighted the collections of featured brands like Ahluwalia. Such exposure and financial support enable brands to reach a larger customer bases as well as gain valuable retail business insight.”

“This partnership with The Bicester Collection represents a shared vision to create meaningful market opportunities for African designers. As a global shopping destination that welcomes people from across the world to discover new brands, The Bicester Collection is perfectly positioned to help us establish a new narrative for African fashion – one that celebrates creativity, embraces sustainability, and nurtures emerging talent for the future,” Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Style House Files & Lagos Fashion Week, added.

Commenting, Priya Ahluwalia, founder of Ahluwalia, the 2023 Winner of The Bicester Collection Award at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards, enthused: “Winning The Bicester Collection Award at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards holds a special place in my heart. It’s not just an accolade; it’s a symbol of the opportunities that exist for designers committed to making a positive impact. We’re incredibly grateful to The Bicester Collection team for their continued support.”

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