064: Signs of the Times & SS26 Market Finds

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 🗞️

Welcome back to another weekly dispatch from PROTOChic, bringing you the very best in fashion and culture from the diaspora and beyond. Happy Women’s History Month.

Thank you for all of the new readers joining into the fray, including one subscriber who shared the exciting intel on South African designer Thebe Magugu and his latest foray into luxury hospitality. More on that below…

Remember, we want to hear from you! Reach us at [email protected] with any tips or questions.

DISPATCH 064 —

This week, we’re analyzing some distressing trends troubling the industry, cheering on the latest LVMH Prize semi-finalists, and exploring Magugu’s take on luxury hospitality in Cape Town. Plus: Noah Davis. But first, our highlights from Spring / Summer 2026 collections…

MARKET FINDS — SPRING / SUMMER 2026 EDITION

As long-time advocates of building an archive-worthy wardrobe, we’re letting you inside the proverbial mind’s eye focusing on Spring / Summer 2026 collections finally hitting stores. Despite valid oscillating temptations to buy something convenient or inexpensive, we’re keen to prioritize pieces that can have true staying power, today and years from now. It is our hope that these are market finds for a lifetime (or at least a long time). Take a look at a slice of our most beloved designers from Lagos and London to New York via Milan and what’s on offer now.

LAGOS — ABIOLA OLUSOLA

Nigerian designer Abiola Adeniran-Olusola shared her inspiration as “our modern interpretation of aso-oke, a feminine harmony of colors, intricately woven.” Showing as part of London Fashion Week last month with Brand63Africa, a social enterprise supporting diaspora talent with global retail support, Adeniran-Olusola showcased this sixties-inspired beaded floral appliquéd jacket to great aplomb. With this season, Adeniran-Olusola brings forward her heritage with a contemporary twist in another stunning look — a full-length dress using contrast adire print with red beading. Based in Ikoyi by appointment only, her studio now ships its collections globally to a discerning sophisticated client, just as she intended.

NEW YORK — DIOTIMA

Rachel Scott’s spring color palette is a welcome reprieve from dull and dreary New York skies. Rich in tones ranging from strawberry sherbet and crystal orchid to icy snow and periwinkle blue, her now iconic beaded motif is on full display throughout lengthy skirts, cropped tops, and lounging trousers. Don’t let the sheer nature deter you — as with all of her collections, Scott’s separates lend themselves to be layered with ease or barely there should the occasion permit.

LONDON — TOLU COKER

Read More

THEBE MAGUGU BRIDGES HERITAGE STORIES WITH GLOBAL AMBITIONS

South African designer Thebe Magugu has charted an especially pioneering path over the past ten years. We fondly reflect on connecting with Magugu back in 2017 before a historic win of the LVMH Prize in 2019 catapulted his brand into global recognition. Even then, his bold vision for his eponymous brand was already quite formalized and his judicious eye for heritage storytelling has landed him noteworthy collaborations from the likes of Dior, Valentino, Canada Goose, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and now Belmond.

In 2024, Magugu achieved yet another milestone with the launch of his flagship “campus” in Johannesburg. Decorated in rich saturated tones and furnished with objects by his fellow South African creatives, Magugu House represented a novel paradigm of retailing — with convening space, museum aspirations, and workshops — but more importantly, the space brought the world of the brand to life and a chance to connect directly with his growing client base. This latest partnership with Belmond certainly expands that vision of client engagement to new heights.

Read More

MARTINE ROSE HALTS PRODUCTION

From our desks, it felt like a cry heard around the world when British-Jamaican designer Martine Rose confirmed to WWD last week a halt in production of her Fall 2026 collection despite orders — she notes it was one of the best-selling collections for her brand in its almost 20-year run, but states that she was “forced to make the unprecedented decision to cancel the season’s production orders.” Due to the tenuous nature of the current environment, this halt will allow the menswear brand to ensure its resiliency ahead.

This news comes off the back of her showroom-turned-accelerator partner Tomorrow London facing financial constraints of its own and other brands on the platform (i.e. Coperni) canceling their most recent Paris Fashion Week runway show due to shareholder strife, according to BoF. You may remember we covered Samuel Ross selling A-COLD-WALL* to Tomorrow London in 2024, a transaction that exited Ross from the day-to-day management of the business, but gave him a capital outlay to continue his other design collaboration practices. The exact terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Just one week ago, Congolese-American founder Anifa Mveumba of Hanifa announced an indefinite pause in production for her contemporary label. This followed numerous consumer complaints regarding delayed shipping during last year’s holiday season. Hanifa gained major momentum during the pandemic with her virtual runway presentation showcasing a diverse range of models in her body-hugging designs. According to The Cut, Hanifa issued a statement citing the difficulties in maintaining its business in the near term.

Despite these challenges, both brands remain committed to continuing forward. One brand encapsulates the reality of limited capital investment in production (where repayment timelines are not immediate, ranging from 30-120+ days from receipt). The other label represents a rather classic story of brand management and how to navigate supply-and-demand fluctuations in precarious conditions.

Both are tactically and strategically leveraging these ‘breaks’ to stabilize. However, it begs the question — will consumers remain loyal without new collections each season?

ON OUR RADAR

Congratulations are in order. Nigerian brand IAMISIGO is one of the twenty 2026 LVMH Prize semi-finalists. Feted last week during Paris Fashion Week, these designers presented their collections for the chance at the title, €400K, and a year-long mentorship with LVMH. Here’s hoping that the contemporary wearable art practice founded by Bubu Ogisi clinches the prize. (Link)

Noah Davis at The Philadelphia Museum of Art marks the final stage of a four-city retrospective of the late artist’s oeuvre from 2007 - 2014. Incorporating his striking paintings with found ephemera, collages, sculptural objects, and sharing the legacy of his own institution, The Underground Museum, the exhibition weaves an emotionally resonant and singular vision of contemporary Black life. Open through April 26, 2026. (Link)

Crushed Link is the latest collection by Brooklyn-based fine jeweler Bernard James. Unveiled via private trunk show last week, the new collection described by James as “a story of transformation” — is available in store and online today. (Link)