A night of glamour and unlimited showmanship Saturday through early Sunday morning marked the end of the three-day fashion staple, Arise Fashion Week, broadcast live from Eko Convention Hall, Victoria Island.
The 2023 edition of the high-fashion tradition was the pilgrimage of renowned fashion designers of African descent, models, stylists and other key players in the fashion ecosystem.
With pulsating sounds to match the models’ runway confidence, the show was kicked off with the glamorous-looking duo- Seyitan Atigarin and Kachi Ofiah.
The 14-time Grammy-award winner, Herbie Hancock started off with a newsflash: 80 per cent of his DNA is Nigerian. With an applause to welcome the jazz master back home, he began his performance on a rather magical note alongside his band.
A simultaneous movement on piano and flute, they set a high benchmark for Starboy, Wizkid, who shared the stage with him on the night.
Interestingly, this season of the fashion experience was largely influenced by the 80s trend of puffed sleeves, sequins, sheer and some rope dresses.
Lanre Da Silva Ajayi set the tone for the night with the shimmering overload with pieces showing hints of green.
Graceful, sophisticated and with some daring sheer appeal, the queens of sequins slayed with their sweeping garments, emitting glamour.
Bringing crisp masculine cuts to the show is El-Attire. His fluid transition of robe from male into female figures made the predominantly dark-coloured pieces intriguing.
Rattling the audience is Lisa Folawiyo’s visual play with asymmetrical hems, tropical fabric, fur-play around the sleeves, carefully sought mixed prints and some ‘fringe benefits.’
The collection got its well-deserved ovation perhaps for its detailed Afrocentric signature on the runway.
For Kadiju, her collection is a potpourri of sorts: Oversized jackets, a touch of frills and a dash of fringe benefits, sleeves.
With the metallic glow albeit indistinctive style the outstanding body of creative work deepened the curiosity of the Lagos audience.
At the first glance, there was something ‘street and swaggy’ in Syari Bespoke’s collection. From the cross-culture pieces of robe and baseball cap to the scarf and sneakers that formed the accessories for the shoes, his edgy cuts and flowing silk transported the spirit of trado-urban attitude in the body of work.
Arguably the flame of the night, Huddaya delivered a blend of conservative and sexy, with her show-stopping pieces that were nothing short of pure craft.
With Ajabeng, street fashion is a minimalist experience. His subtle but impressive stamp on the runway is wearable.
The official partner for Arise Fashion Week, Darling Hair showcase was appetising from the entry to the exit.
Drawing inspiration from water ripples, Olooh mixed some street fashion with eye-catching designs- a few of them were so pink; reminiscent of DJ Cuppy.
Expectedly, Wizkid drew the crowd into a frenzy, returning the audience from Hancock’s electrifying spell to Ojuelegba- the roots of Wizkid’s artistry in Afrobeats.
Wizkid tapped from his oeuvre of songs to deliver “Bad to Me,” “Essence” “2Sugar” amongst others
Sophisticated, the multi-layered details in Tiffany Amber’s craftsmanship echoed its originality. With Naomi Campbell as the headline model at the show, the body of work is a product of painstaking effort to make a bold fashion statement.
Starboy’s show would have been incomplete with his Grammy-nominated song “Essence,” which got the audience fired up. Wizkid had the stage to himself as paparazzi maintained their respectful distance.
Wizkid drops a consolation message as he rounds off his performance with “Ojuelegba.”
“No fuel, no light, but Starboy dey for you,” he said, extending his hands to the audience in an emotional moment.
Yinka Olatunbosun
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