Woven Threads: 10 Conversations You Need to Watch

#1: Lines: Strand One - A Story Of Now
The first episode of 'Lines' hears from designers Awa Meite (Awa Meite), Osione & Oroma Itegboje (This Is Us), Nkwo Onwuka (Nkwo) in a series of video essays inspired by voice notes, unrealised presentations and lockdown limitations. A snapshot of our thoughts on the present and future of African fashion and culture in the current time and of times to come.

#2: Conversations On Slowness, Sustaining Culture and Creativity
Bandana Tewari (Lifestyle Journalist, Sustainability Activist and Former Vogue India Editor-at-Large) leads this inspiring session exploring cultural sustainability and advocating for why the hand worker economy can be the cornerstone for the preservation of craftsmanship.She speaks to the irreversible damage the fashion has done to the planet and solutions to change our mindset.

#3: How To Design Like An African
This Is Us co-founded by Osione and Oroma Itegboje take us through the 3 stages of designing like an African using a longtime approach. This Is Us encourage young creatives to approach design by looking and using what is available in their immediate environment.
⠀

#4: Nana Otedola In Conversation With Awa Meite
Nana Otedola, Founder Garment Care Nigeria joins Awa Meite in conversation to discuss the designer’s belief in the "healing power of cotton", slow fashion and creating clothes that last. The latter being Nana’s philosophy on creating the perfect wardrobe. Awa Meite also shares her journey of converting a crop farming community of women near Bamako to a cotton growing and processing community.

#5: Lines: Strand Two - Moving in Circles
Designers Elyon Adede (Elexiay), Nkwo Onwuka (Nkwo), Larry Jafaru (Larry Jay), Bubu Ogisi (IAMISIGO) speak in this episode of Lines. A series of video essays inspired by voice notes, unrealised presentations and lockdown limitations. ⠀

#6: The Future Of Fashion And Retail in Nigeria. What Next?
Nike Ogunlesi (Founder & CRO, Ruff 'n' Tumble), Ayo Amusan (Founder | Executive Director, Persianas Retail), Jumoke Oduwole (Senior Special Advisor to the President on Ease of Doing Business), Sola Babatunde (Founder and creative director OSC College of Fashion & OSC garment factory), Hamman Kwajaffa (Director General, Nigeria Textile Garment Manufacturing Association) and Yegwa Ukpo (Head Maintainer, NewType) in conversation with Omoyemi Akerele (Founder LagosFW) on The Future of Fashion and Retail in Nigeria.

This session spoke to a future of our industry and paving the way forward post pandemic.

#7: Thinking Local in a Global World
Dana Thomas (Author of Fashionopolis & Veteran Style Writer) speaks to OmoyemiAkerele for this special session of Woven Threads: Thinking Local in a Global World.

Dana is a notable commentator on luxury fashion and culture, her work also delves into the Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes. She also speaks about finding balance from the craft and knowledge before in the industrial age and fusing it with the benefits of our current digital age.

#8: Lines: Strand Three - A Path to Tomorrow
For the final episode of Lines, we hear from designers Beatrice Awurama-Mankatah (Threaded Tribes), Faith Oluwajimi (Bloke), Emmanuel Okoro (Emmy Kasbit), Adeju Thompson (Lagos Space Programme) and Awa Meite(Awa Meite) in this series of video essays that are a snapshot of our thoughts on the present and future of African fashion and culture in the current time and times to come.

#9: How to build a direct consumer brand
Sarah Diouf is the Creative Director and Founder of Tongoro, a 100 % Made in Africa ready to wear label based in Dakar. A multi-faceted entrepreneur with a background in Visual and Digital Communications. Sarah joins Lagos Fashion Week founder, Omoyemi Akerele to discuss everything from growing Tongoro as a brand to coping as a designer with the current global pandemic.

#10: Orsola De Castro of Fashion Revolution
Orsola De Castro (Founder and Global Creative Director of Fashion Revolution) joins Lagos Fashion Week's Omoyemi Akerele on Instagram Live to discuss everything from Fashion Revolution, advocating for a cleaner and fairer industry to the future of Fashion Weeks.