BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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Founded in 2022 by designer and creative entrepreneur Ifeanyi Nwune, VVS Lagos started with a simple but bold mission: bring designers together in their own city, inspired by the collaborative spirit of the Antwerp Six, then expand into a multi-industry creative hub. What began as designer showcases soon grew into a full-blown cultural convention, spanning fashion, art, film, music, and tech.
Under this year’s theme, “Este Fuego” (This Fire), the festival ran July 7–13 at Lagos’s Federal Palace Hotel and other venues, and featured runway shows, trunk sales, exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings, and mentorship programs. Ifeanyi Nwune has emphasized that true luxury lies in authentic storytelling and working together. The festival pushes cross-industry partnerships and includes educational panels on growing Africa’s creative economy.
Trunk shows and runway events featured top Nigerian creatives like I.N. Official, Kadiju, TJ Who, Fruché, Grayscale, and others. As well as appearances from ElevenSixteen’s Ugo Mozie.
Simon Says Drip also attended the the fifth day of VVS Lagos. The event, which doubled as an art exhibition and trunk show, spotlighted a curated lineup of Nigerian brands that ranged from streetwear to womenswear, skincare, accessories, and footwear. At first glance, it was a celebration of local creativity. But behind the displays, the conversation turned to deeper concerns.
One of the main themes of the day centered around fabric sourcing and production in Nigeria. While the clothes on display were unmistakably Nigerian in spirit, many brands revealed that their textiles weren’t made on home soil. Instead, they rely on imports, from Asia, Europe, and beyond, to achieve the quality or quantity local systems can’t yet provide.
Still, the show wasn’t without optimism. Conversations like these that happen openly between designers, buyers, and stylists signal a shift. A desire to make clothes while building an ecosystem that supports them from thread to hanger.
