Browns is bringing the best of Nigerian creativity to East London
The fashion destination joins forces with Lagos’ Homecoming festival on a series of URL and IRL events spotlighting rising Nigerian talent and Africa’s impact on global culture
Taking place annually in Lagos, Nigeria, Homecoming festival brings the best of the country’s culture and creativity to the world, spanning sport, fashion, music, art, and more. With football tournaments scheduled back to back with runway shows and live performances, it’s the kind of event where you’ll see the likes of Skepta, Octavian, and Paloma Elsesser rubbing shoulders with a new gen of rising Nigerian talent.
With Miss ‘Rona (yes, her again) meaning Homecoming’s physical iteration had to be cancelled this year, now, the initiative is going digital with a little help from London fashion mecca Browns. As the festival’s 2020 partner, the fashion destination’s East London outpost is set to be taken over by Nigerian and international brands spotlighted by Homecoming, with Post-Imperial, Orange Culture, and, of course, Mowalola among them. And there’s good news for those not able to make it to Browns IRL, since an edit will also be up for grabs online.
Also landing is a new zine, Ni Agbaye, which brings together a huge number of creatives to celebrate the influence Afro Culture has had not just on fashion, but on global pop culture as a whole. Flick through its digital pages, and you’ll find fashion stories from Dazed fave Ruth Ossai and stylist Ola Ebiti, an editorial created by Nigerian skate crew Motherlan, and a series of vibrant illustrations by Moses Adesanya. Elsewhere, written articles delving into what it means to be an African fashion designer in 2020 sit alongside curated playlists by the likes of Viviendii and Mowalola, and musical takeovers courtesy of Obongjayar and Fela Kuti.
Rounding things off are a series of talks and discussions with panels that bring together speakers including Tremaine Emory of Denim Tears, Niyi Okuboyejo of Post-Imperial, and Virgil Abloh of… well, you don’t need us to tell you where. The timely conversations span topics including the evolving state of African streetwear and the ways in which authentic African visual narratives can be propelled forwards in fashion.
Sign up to the talks, check out the edit here, and take a sneak peek at Ruth Ossai’s Ni Agbaye photo story in the gallery above.