Fashion week in Lagos: Putting African designers on the map

Ozwald Boateng, a British designer of Ghanaian descent, takes to the runway in one of his distinctive creations. Boateng was presented the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the event.

A model wears Ozwald Boateng.

Nigerian designer Amaka Osakwe of Maki Oh was jointly named "Designer of the Year," alongside Kluk CGDT.

South African label Kluk CGDT, named "Designer of the Year," alongside Maki Oh.

A model takes to the catwalk wearing a creation of South African designer Gavin Rajah.

A model wears Gavin Rajah.

A model wears Amrapali, an Indian label showing in Lagos.

Nigerian luxury label House of Farrah, headed by Fatima Aliyu Garba creates designs for men and women

A model wears Nigerian label Phunk Afrique.

Models wear Nigerian-Italian label Kinabuti on the runway.

Caterina Bortolussi (center), designer for Kinabuti, joins the models on stage at the end of her show.

 

If New York, London, Paris and Milan have been the traditional compass points of world fashion, Lagos has typically not even figured on the mapBut according to Penny McDonald, organizer of the Arise Magazine Fashion Week held in Nigeria's largest city last week, that is unlikely to be the case for much longer.

She said the event, which drew 77 designers and big names including supermodel Alek Wek, British couturier Ozwald Boateng and up-and-coming model Dudley O'Shaughnessy, had gone a long way to establishing Lagos as Africa's fashion capital, a city with international style credentials.
"It's raised the bar," said McDonald, international managing director for Arise, a title which describes itself as Africa's global style and culture magazine. "Everyone knows it's New York, London, Paris and Milan -- and we see this as the fifth destination now. We're hoping to make Lagos a fashion destination, part of the fashion season." 

Lagos women... they dress like no other. They love haute couture. They look the part, they get fashion 

Penny McDonald, Arise Magazine Fashion Week organize