058: Lagos Fashion & Gentle Beauty

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 🗞️

Here’s to another week interpreting high fashion and winding down to the end of the year. The conclusion of Lagos Fashion Week kicks off a three-month period of respite before “it” all starts up again. We’re energized by what we’re seeing on the runways and we hope you are too!

As always, please reach us at [email protected] with any tips or questions.

DISPATCH 058 —

This week, we’re celebrating a big week for Nigerian footwear, getting a few more details on Telfar’s first “real” leather bag, and discovering gentle beauty. Plus: ‘Fashioning Culture’ and a London Archive Sale. But first, Lagos Fashion Week concludes…

WRAPPING UP LAGOS FASHION WEEK

Lagos Fashion Week has come and gone, with lots of sponsored on-site and off-site shows highlighting West African ingenuity in full force. For Spring / Summer 2025, fan favorite I.AM.ISIGO elected for pure water sachet show invitations and hosted their show at a factory, where calabash awaited each guest at their seat. On the main stage, Accra-based label AJABENG brought their heritage to motion with a selection of inherently minimalist pieces, accompanied by monochromatic stacked slides by Kkerele. Running the gamut, Lagos Fashion Week put forward some of the most fascinating silhouettes leveraging traditional technique with a refreshing modernity.

ABIOLA OLUSOLA

On October 27, Abiola Olusola collaborated with Shekudo on ‘Return to Delight.’ For many of us, the initial response was ‘finally…’ Olusola’s quiet luxury finally has the footwear to match its timeless oeuvre. This season, the looks rang more cheerful, less demure with aso-oke inspired stripes. Short sets, structural sun protection hats, and Shekudo’s tasseled slingbacks dominated the runway. A particular gem was a romantic mini dress in black-and-white linen. Olusola employed a tried-and-true-and-successful strategy of including friends of the brand to walk in the show, including artists Yagazie Emezi and Sheila Chukwulozie.

EKI KERE

Woven raffia was the material du jour and no brand is better known in Lagos for it than Eki Kere. Beyond the ecological story, which includes conserving natural resources and supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Spring / Summer 2025 pieces were simply too exquisite to resist. From wooden carved buttons and detailed photo collage printed on cotton-paneled fabrics to a mix of moody and voluminous garments testing the limits of proportion, the collection (including its accessories) encouraged so much to discover.

NEW GENTLE BEAUTY TO KNOW

Cooling temps tend to elicit a slow retreat inwards. For beauty inside and out, here are a few new gentle beauty products you need to know.

First up, Rose Ingleton MD — FutureBright Dark Spot Vitamin C Serum is designed with sensitive skin in mind, to both fade and prevent dark spots and discoloration. Founded by Dr. Rose Ingleton, this dewy, hydrating formula has the same promise as the rest of the range — inclusive testing protocols on melanin-rich skin led by Sula Labs.

Moodeaux’s latest Eau de Parfum Worthy is a love letter to self and certainly feels apropos in these times. With top notes of white tea and orange blossoms, middle notes of red rose, lavender, and leafy greens, and bottom notes of dry musk, vanilla woods, and amber, this warm and comforting scent is “a hug in a bottle for whenever you need one most.”

Last, but not least, award-winning hair stylist Charlotte Mensah launched Manketti Oil Salt Scrub made with a blend of naturally exfoliating salts from her home country of Ghana as well as mongongo, jojoba seed, grape seed, and sweet almond oils.

ON OUR RADAR

An inspiring new tome is on the way — Africa’s Fashion Diaspora — published by Yale Books and based on the current exhibition at The Museum at FIT in New York City. Codifying the diasporic fashion canon through text and contextualizing their work in influencing global fashion is vitally important. Featured designers include Akosua Afriye-Kumi, Stephen Burrows, and Virgil Abloh. (Link)

In other book news, Dr. Esther Mahlangu has a forthcoming monograph ‘To Paint Is In My Heart’ focused on the life and work of one of South Africa’s most influential artists. The book will include a new essay by Thebe Magugu entitled ‘Fashioning Culture,’ an essay interrogating Mahlangu’s artistic influence in the fashion sector and “how she continues to preserve culture through the power of cloth.” Available January 21, 2025. (Link)

Far and few between, Wales Bonner will be hosting a London Archive Sale starting November 2, highlighting footwear, adidas Originals, mainline collections, special archival pieces, and more. (Link)

While we all wait patiently for the “real” leather bag by Telfar, we do have a few more details on The Carry, including that the expansion into soft, aniline, full-grain pebble leather is in partnership with Wilson Leather. The bags won’t drop alone, but alongside a twenty-piece capsule collection of leather apparel. (Link)

One of our favorite photographic artists Malick Bodian will unveil new works with a solo showcase Senegal, Voyage Temporel during Paris Photo starting November 8. (Link)

Speaking of Kkerele, the date has been set for their showroom-slash-store opening. Save the date for November 1. (Link)