Lagos Fashion and Design Week concluded this past weekend and the collections shown have been making major rounds in the press. Vogue.com spotlighted its top five picks but I was dissappointed that the uber talented Mai Atafo wasn't mentioned. Mr. Atafo is a multitalented giant of the Nigerian fashion industry whose menswear, womenswear and bridal designs have a dedicated following. Epic runway moments such as realtime selfie shots with his model cast and a live violinist to provide Drake hits as runway music, make him him the Michael Jackson of African fashion as his showmanship and attention to detail are unparalleled.
This year Mr. Atafo included men's and women's wears in his showcase and each detail from the sophisticated eyewear down to the sweeping tassels on the men's shoes was impeccable. Exquisitely tailored suits featuring bold, but well-placed patterns are mainstays of his men's collections. The new feature this year was the printed women's suits and separates that resemble scarf print at first blush, but are actually prints of original hand-drawn designs by New York based, Nigerian artist/musician Laolu Senbanjo. Literally every detail was given artful attention in this collection and truly in every collection that Atafo presents. I can't wait until the world catches on to what Nigeria has known about Mai Atafo for a while. Check out a few of my favorite pieces below:
Photos courtesy of www.lagosfashionanddesignweek.com