The days when fashion shows
revolved solely around the four style capitals are long gone. Although aspiring
designers still aim to show their collections in those cities, nations such as
Brazil, Russia, India and Sri Lanka now have their own fashion weeks – plus, in
the perpetual search for new, untapped talent, department-store buyers tour the
world. The latest location on their adventurous agenda is Lagos in Nigeria,
which is fast becoming the centre of an emerging African design industry.
Selfridges’ buying team uncovered a creatively rich seam there in October, and
these finds are now on show (until mid-January) in the store’s latest Fashion
Gallery pop-up shop.

Names in the second-floor
shop include Jewel by Lisa Folawiyo (skirt in first picture, £745), who
bejewels and hand-beads traditional fabrics cut in a cool, modern way; Eki
Orleans, whose fluid silk dresses feature traditional prints blown up to almost
abstract proportions (example in third picture, £400); Lanre da Silva Ajayi,
with her ornately embellished evening gowns (£3,180 for a unique piece); Odio
Mimonet, notable for her beautiful prints and soft silks; and Lagos institution
Tiffany Amber. These are all designers to watch – and all the pieces are
exclusive to Selfridges in the UK.
Selfridges, 400 Oxford
Street, London W1 (0800-123 400; www.selfridges.com).
Culled: howtospendit.ft.com
VIBRANT NIGERIAN FASHION SWEEPS THROUGH SELFRIDGES
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