10 Things to Watch out for at Lagos Fashion Week 2019 (Your guide to this year's shows!)

LagosFW is a major bridge that connects fashion stakeholders, lovers, and designers and quite a number of people will be attending, so we thought to make it all easier by sharing a few things to know and expect.

Here are 10 things to watch out for at LagosFW 2019:

No. 1: The fun things you can do around Lagos

Fashion Week has finally moved to Nigeria’s metropolitan city and there is so much to do in the vibrant and fun city of Lagos. From chic restaurants like Eric Kayser, Cactus, La Brioche, Flower Shop Cafe, and more, to bars with picturesque city views like W Bar Lounge, Sky Box, and Kohinor . We also have places to just have fun like Rufus and Bee’s arcade and bowling alley, Landmark Beach Lagos’ sunset paintballing, and ATV World. If you’re the clubbing type, check out Velvett, Cocoon, Sip, and Moist. There are also amazing beach islands like Inagbe and Ilashe for you to unwind during your trip!

No. 2: The runway shows!

Lagos Fashion Week Tents will open for runway shows from 24th to 26th of October from 6 pm daily. Designers, fashion experts, enthusiasts, and media from across the continent and beyond, will reunite in Africa’s most populous city to view the Spring 2020 collections from designers. LagosFW will feature amazing shows, from Orange Culture and Bridget Awosika to Sisiano, and Style Temple.

No. 3: Fashion Business Series (FBS)

Just like last year, the Fashion Business Series will invite thought leaders to lead discussions and share their perspectives, in order to gradually begin to develop a semblance of structure for creating sustainable change in the industry. The FBS Dinner will feature key voices in the fashion world in an intimate gathering of industry stakeholders. The goal is to effectively capture, engage and connect with a diverse demographic of industry players, contributors, stake-holders, fashion cognoscenti, policy-makers, and potential investors.

No. 4: The Afterparty!

At the end of Fashion Week, we close with memorable and exciting music and party experience! The official afterparty of Lagos Fashion Week will take place on the final night of the 4-Day event.

The amazing event will provide music, fashion, and beer lovers the opportunity to be part of a spectacular music experience bringing a fantastic end to a creative week. See you there!

No. 5: The awesome fashion workshops

On the 21st & 22nd of October, SheTrades Commonwealth will host workshops targeting women entrepreneurs within the ITC SheTrades network. The aim of these workshops is to further equip women-owned businesses with new skills to grow their various businesses and the tools for wealth creation.

On the 25th & 26th of October 2019, guests will also have access to daytime workshops happening at the tents including the Afrexim Bank’s Creative Africa Exchange Masterclass in partnership with Africa Development Bank (AFDB).

No. 6: Who’s sitting Front Row?

While we love the clothing, models, and new styles that emerge during Lagos Fashion Week, one of our favourite parts of the epic event has nothing to do with the show, but everything to do with the celebrities who watch from the sidelines, specifically from the front row. From the A-list celebrities and influencers to the music stars and fashion icons, there’s a reason why front-row seating is so coveted and so fun to scope out.

No. 7: The surprise performances and celebrities on the runway

What comes down the runway during Lagos Fashion Week is only part of the story. How designers decide to present their collections is a big part of a label’s seasonal marketing and branding strategy. Serving up a surprise performance or sending a celebrity down the runway is one of the highlights of the event. In previous years, we’ve had Davido, Mawuli Gavor, Osas Ighodaro, and many more celebrities walk down the runway. We have also had Wande Coal, Falana, and more make their debut on the runway to perform. Watch out for more surprise performances and celebrities on the runway!

No. 8: The new designers showcasing this year

This year, the new designers that will be showcasing on the runway are the Fashion Focus Africa winners. Fashion Focus Africa is a program that is dedicated to the growth and promotion of emerging talent in the African fashion industry. In partnership with FETS Wallet, Avivere, and Sunlight, Fashion Focus presents unique opportunities for emerging talents to harness their skills through business development workshops, creative workshops, and mentorships. This long opportunity affords five young designers with some of the tools they need to grow.

No. 9: The cool street style

Not unlike Lagos, some of the best fashion is off the runway and that is part of the fashion week appeal. Watch out for LagosFW bloggers, influencers, designers, and more showing up and showing out to the fashion week grounds every day, hours before the shows even begin, to show off their exciting style picks and vie for the attention of the street style photographers. Many of the best are young, up-and-coming designers themselves, hoping to share their personal brands through their own sartorial efforts. Like everything else in the city, fashion is a hustle and no holds are barred. Fashion week means attendees will be creating the content we love and giving us serious FOMO.

No. 10: Green Access 2019

Green Access aims to discover raw creative fashion talent from Nigeria and inspire them to consciously start exploring sustainable ways of achieving their fashion entrepreneurship goals. The top 5 Applicants will go through a Sustainability in Fashion Workshop and be commissioned to design 1 outfit each for Green Access, and gain promotion through participation in a fashion film and photoshoot!