Lagos
CNN
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Since its inception in 2011, Lagos Trend Week has been a twice-yearly spotlight of the African trend calendar, a multi-day showcase attracting the continent’s prime design homes, large identify sponsors, in addition to a world viewers.
In a deeply non secular and conservative Nigeria, where LGBTQ individuals endure extraordinarily excessive ranges of homophobia, intolerance, and even violence, Lagos Trend Week shortly established itself as an inclusive house for marginalized communities and unconventional manufacturers to be seen and heard.
For greater than a decade, Nigerian label Orange Tradition has staged catwalk reveals that includes male fashions in skirts, make-up, or sporting ribbons down the runway as a approach of frightening conversations about how trend can be utilized to interrupt down gender norms. Maxivive — which describes itself as “a Lagos-based trend group based… on concepts of nonconformity and the subversion of norms” — has additionally made waves showcasing graphic, gender-bending items addressing points round sexuality and identification over consecutive seasons.
Over the previous few years nonetheless, members of the LGBTQ neighborhood in Nigeria say Lagos Trend Week’s inclusive stance has come below strain amidst a rising tradition of hostility in the direction of non-binary and homosexual individuals within the nation.
In 2014, regardless of widespread worldwide condemnation, Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation — adopted the SSMPA law (Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act) which bans homosexual marriage, same-sex relationships and membership of homosexual rights teams with punishments together with a jail time period of as much as 14 years for these convicted. Homosexual rights activists say these sentiments are filtering down into what was one among Nigeria’s most open-minded industries: Trend.
Kayode Timileyin is the founding father of Queercity Media and Manufacturing, one of many main non- governmental queer organizations in Nigeria in addition to being the competition supervisor for Lagos Delight, a week-long celebration in June to commemorate Delight month in Nigeria. “There’s a historical past of anti-queerness relating to trend week in Nigeria,” he informed CNN.
Activists level to town’s Spring-Summer time 2022 showcase, that includes the late Fola Francis — the first-ever transgender individual to be forged by labels to mannequin on town’s catwalk. Francis tragically drowned in December 2023.
Whereas her debut was hailed as a watershed second in each African trend and for the queer neighborhood at massive (she walked twice, for labels Cute-Saint and Fruché), it additionally sparked controversy. On the time, Francis stated she confronted a public backlash from some sections of Nigerian society and identified that regardless of her boundary-breaking appearances, no pictures of her have been posted on Lagos Trend Week’s social media accounts. In an interview with digital LGBTQ magazine Xtra shortly after the occasion in November 2022, Francis stated “I heard the Lagos Trend Week’s staff determined to not put up any of my footage from the runway or embody (them) in any press releases. Why am I not stunned?” (The journal stated they approached Lagos Trend Week on the time, who didn’t reply to their requests for remark.)
After casting non-binary fashions to stroll on its catwalk throughout the Spring-Summer time 2023 reveals, subversive trend home Maxivive had its present cancelled by organizers simply days earlier than it was meant to go forward. Whereas model founder Papa Oyeyemi informed CNN he would like to not discuss in regards to the cancellation, dialogue inside the trade centered across the presentation having been deemed “too homosexual” by organizers.
“For the presentation to get cancelled on the final minute was very disheartening,” one non-binary mannequin booked to stroll for Maxivive informed CNN (they wished to stay nameless for his or her security). “Queer individuals exist in Nigeria and trend is supposed to be expressive, not restrictive.”
Tosin Ogundadegbe, a Lagos-based trend stylist often known as “The Model Infidel” on social media stated that the style trade in Nigeria nonetheless has a protracted option to go relating to inclusivity. “The standard trend schedule suffers from (an absence of) inclusivity on the runway — we solely see illustration of marginalized communities at personal reveals.”
Certainly, amid what’s perceived as a rising strain for organizers to stick to anti-gay legal guidelines and more and more divisive politics round gender, sexuality and inclusivity in Nigeria, an rising variety of trend labels have chosen to indicate “off-schedule” through “underground” personal displays the place they really feel they are often extra free to embody the ethos of their manufacturers, fairly than within the glare of Lagos Trend Week.
From labels reminiscent of Tzar Studios, a “visually provocative up to date menswear model… impressed by the ethos of the metrosexual man,” to ready-to-wear model Weiz Dhurm Franklyn, these clandestine, “invite solely” reveals are curated by designers who maintain places discreet and hand-pick trusted journalists, influencers, celebrities and trend trade figures to sit down within the viewers.
Udiahgebi, a trend model identified for its androgynous items, has efficiently hosted personal reveals on this approach. The home forged 5 non-binary fashions to stroll in its first-ever runway present in 2022 to a optimistic reception, model artistic director Chiemerie Udiahgebi Ugwoke informed CNN.
“The suggestions after my present was alarmingly good,” they wrote over electronic mail. “I used to be not anticipating optimistic opinions from the attendees as a result of… I took gender-neutral garments (that includes see-through materials, animal prints and cut-outs) and performed with them in a approach I felt was extra more likely to entice damaging opinions contemplating the society we reside in.”
Aso Nigeria, one other androgynous and inclusive trend label, forged Fola Francis in each its personal runway present in December 2022 and a trend promoting marketing campaign launched in February 2024. Model founder Aanuoluwa Ajide-Daniels informed CNN that together with a trans girl was “important to the concept of the model, and one thing that will likely be seen all through the lifespan of Aso.”
“I see trend as artwork, it’s meant to begin a dialog and in addition provoke thought,” stated Kayode Timileyin. “Nonetheless, through the years, (Lagos) Trend Week continues to hush down and restrict these conversations.” Whereas championing an inclusive future for the artists and trend designers of Africa can’t solely be accomplished behind closed doorways; for now, many designers consider it’s the solely — and an important — approach to have the ability to freely categorical who they’re.
Lagos Trend Week didn’t reply to CNN’s repeated requests for remark.