Although the SARS protests forced a temporary hiatus for Lagos Fashion Week, the design scene in Nigeria is incredibly resilient and is already banding together to launch bigger and better events in the near future. As a hotbed of design talent, Lagos is literally percolating with new ideas and setting the pace for what’s new and exciting in fashion. The launch of this year’s Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, which will be held digitally and livestreamed as the first major fashion event to be held since the protests. And as they work towards a longer-term new normal in the wake of October’s atrocities, Omoyemi Akerele’s outlook on how to aid her community in the immediate future is simple. “This is the season to call on our community to go the extra mile to support Nigerian brands,” says Akerele. “It’s been a tough year with the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with minimal support internally. The designers still created collections this season, so we must support them.”
SOURCE: VOGUE