During the London Fashion Week, amidst innovation and artistry, Nigerian designer 54Folks Asooke Collection stood out. The creative director Ayomide Adeyemo did not just showcase craftsmanship, but did a compelling visual narrative of Nigeria’s cultural evolution through fashion.
Unveiled at FashionShowLive and CreativethUK show, the collection draws deeply from Nigeria’s pre-colonial sartorial heritage. Before the British arrived in 1885, Nigerian fashion was rooted in traditional handwoven textiles, notably Asooke, worn with pride by Yoruba people and others across the region.
Ayomide’s vision reinterprets this historical journey, offering a modern silhouette inspired by 19th-century British tailoring while preserving the identity of Nigerian aesthetics through fabric and form. The sharp structure of the garments pays homage to British fashion influences from the colonial era, yet each piece is anchored in the soul of Nigeria from the intricate handwoven Asooke to the symbolic head tie (gele), asserting cultural pride.
The bright hues dominate the collection a deliberate choice to express how the fusion of Western and African styles has brought a vivid transformation to Nigeria’s fashion landscape. These radiant colours speak not just of joy and identity, but of resilience, creativity, and the refusal to let tradition fade into history.
A particularly striking detail was the inclusion of gloves, a nod to 1885 British fashion, subtly reminding viewers of the collection’s historical context. Yet rather than a surrender to colonial influence, the gloves are reimagined as part of a cultural reclamation an accessory now woven into a story of resistance and reinvention.
Crafted using sustainable Nigerian fabrics and artisanal techniques, Asooke Collection is more than fashion; it is heritage revived, history reimagined, and culture reborn on an international stage.
Ayomide Adeyemo’s showcase wasn’t just about design. It was a statement, a celebration of diaspora dreams, and a bridge connecting the past to the future of African fashion. Upholding this heritage and history for the continuity of culture.
