Aṣọ-Òkè: The Cloth We Inherit

I am standing before a portrait in Nigerian Modernism, the survey at Tate Modern. It is Akinola Lasekan’s 1957 oil of Justus D. Akeredolu. Lasekan and Akeredolu were both first-generation Nigerian modernists who once shared a studio in Lagos, and Akeredolu is remembered as the pioneer of Yoruba thorn carving, so the painter here is […]
Sanjo Lawal: Artsman the Traveler
Sanjo Lawal works between photography, creative editing, and digital painting. He renders skin in near-charcoal tones so the colors around it can sing harder. Born in Lagos in 1997 and raised in Ijebu Ode, he draws on Yoruba ceremony, the Ojude Oba festival, and the layered textiles of his mother’s wardrobe. His Artsman the Traveler […]
Who Trains the Machines That See Africa?

The Sovereign Stack
As AI becomes the infrastructure beneath culture, African creators can no longer
Why the Wrapper Remains West Africa’s Undecolonized Garment

The wrapper predates colonial borders and outlives fashion cycles. It is one of the continent’s most enduring systems, and one of the few
Three African Knowledge Systems on the Loewe Craft Prize 2026 Shortlist

The 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize shortlist runs thirty finalists from nineteen countries. Three of them work with African craft traditions as method
King Charles III at Tolu Coker and the Debut of Brand63Africa at London Fashion Week

When King Charles took his front row seat at Tolu Coker’s Fall-Winter 2026 show at 180 Strand on Thursday,
The Cloth That Holds the Dead

An Egungun is not a costume. It’s a technology for making ancestors show up. Outside the communities that practice it, Egungun gets misread
Loza Maléombho and the Language of African Cosmology

The Ivorian fashion scene is vibrant and rapidly evolving, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design and gaining recognition on the global stage. Among the designers
What Defined Lagos Fashion Week SS26? These 10 Trends

Lagos Fashion Week didn’t try to prove anything this season—it showed up with confidence. Over five days, designers presented collections that felt intentional, each show adding to a broader conversation about what African fashion looks like when it stops seeking validation and starts setting its own terms. Here are the ten trends that defined Spring/Summer […]
Lagos Fashion Week: All the Highlights from Day Five

Over the last four days, more than fifty African designers have showcased on the runway, presenting functional