Talent building, culture, and innovation took center stage at the Epic Fashion Week 2026, where over 20 designers showcased their collections, reinforcing the potential of African fashion in the global arena. The two-day event, produced by Fashions Finest Africa and Mahogany International, was held at The Podium, Lekki, Lagos, bringing together fashion enthusiasts, emerging designers, industry stakeholders, creatives, influencers, celebrities, and key players in the African fashion ecosystem for an immersive celebration of style, culture, and the future of fashion.
Business of Fashion Conference
Day one featured the Business of Fashion Conference, a symposium designed to equip emerging fashion creatives with knowledge and conversations for building sustainable and commercially viable fashion businesses. The conference included two panel sessions. The first session, themed “Authenticity vs Commercialisation: Staying True While Appealing to Wider Markets,” featured contributions from Folake Kuye Huntoon, King David, Praise Anaba, and Vivian Umoh, with Hadassah as moderator. The second session, themed “Fashion Without Borders: Positioning for Export,” was moderated by Scott Itepu and featured speakers Nkiru Anachukwu and Rhoda Agunigho, who shared insights on scaling African fashion brands for international markets.
Design for the Future Competition
Day two spotlighted the Design for the Future (D4DF) competition, a platform encouraging young designers to embrace sustainability and timeless fashion practices. The competition attracted over 2,000 entries, with 25 designers selected for a six-week incubation and mentorship program. After several assessments and showcases, 10 finalists emerged: Judy Signature, Light Alta Moda, Jiri, Arig Atelier, Kush Atelier, Luke Smart, Melagante, Tomi Ifebogun, Iwari, and Mina Christian. Iwari emerged as the winner, receiving ₦1 million in seed funding and a one-year mentorship opportunity to support brand growth. The panel of judges included Tosin Ogundadegbe (The Style Infidel), Sola Oyebade, Gift Olohije, and Tolulope Omoyeni.
Founder's Vision
Founder of Fashions Finest Africa and Epic Fashion Week, Sola Oyebade, noted that the platform, formerly known as Epic Show, was created to provide emerging African fashion creatives with a platform to project their talents globally. He stated that the vision for Epic Fashion Week extends beyond its current format, with plans to expand the event in future editions to create larger opportunities for designers and creatives across the fashion industry. “Epic Fashion Week was created to give emerging creatives a platform where their work can truly be seen, celebrated, and elevated. We are committed to building a globally respected fashion platform that continuously supports the next generation of fashion talent,” Oyebade said.
Notable Attendees
Notable personalities spotted across both days included Medlinboss, Tacha, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Akin Faminu, Michael Ejoor, Kayito Nwokedi, Larry Hector, Emmanuel Goodnews, Kanaga, Ruth Vader, Ebunoluwa Dosumu, Mai Atafo, Sunky O, Neo Akpofure, Grand Prince Ita, and several other prominent figures in fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle.
