Lagos, Nigeria – 28 October 2024 – Lagos Fashion Week, in partnership with The Bicester Collection, a global family of 12 luxury shopping destinations, hosted a roundtable discussion titled ‘The Fabric of Change’. This event brought together key industry voices to explore the intersection of fashion, culture and sustainability, with a particular focus on how these elements are a driving force for transformation within the African fashion industry.
With more than 20 years of supporting emerging talent, The Bicester Collection continues its mission to empower the next generation of African designers through its mentorship programmes and retail opportunities, which showcase their collections to a wider audience across its portfolio of Villages in Europe, China and North America.
The roundtable continues The Bicester Collection’s six-year partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, contextualising both entities’ commitment to championing talent and delivering positive social, economical and environmental impact. Representing CNMI was their Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador, Tamu McPherson, who took part in the discussion.
‘The Fabric of Change’ highlighted how initiatives such as the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards have offered a platform for African designers and explored the impact on previous winners, such as Ahluwalia, who scooped The Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers 2023 and NKWO, the 2022 winner. Together with finalists including Made for a Woman and Torlowei, the brands have all participated in The Creative Spot, a pop-up boutique that was first launched in 2016 at Fidenza Village near Milan, one of the Villages in The Bicester Collection. The pop-up gives emerging designers the opportunity to sell their work among the curated portfolio of the world’s most renowned fashion and lifestyle brands that are present across the Collection. Since its launch, The Creative Spot has also opened at Bicester Village near London, Maasmechelen Village near Brussels, La Roca Village near Barcelona and Wertheim Village near Frankfurt, and the boutique is currently present at Shanghai Village in China.
Speaking ahead of the event, Laurent Vinay, Chief Brand and International Communications Officer at The Bicester Collection, shared: “Our collaboration with Lagos Fashion Week and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting emerging talent and fostering cultural exchange. We look forward to engaging with designers and gaining insights from these vital discussions.”
Tamu McPherson, CNMI Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador, shared “I am so thrilled to return to Lagos Fashion Week, this time invited by Bicester Collection as CNMI ambassador representing their partnership, to create a platform that highlights the African fashion industry’s journey in further elevating the continent’s rich cultures, influential fashion and inherently sustainable traditions. The Bicester Collection has been supporting emerging talents with initiatives like The Creative Spot – it offers an incredible platform for emerging talents. The specially designed retail space at Fidenza Village, along with the incredible media coverage and the curated launch events really highlighted the collections of featured brands like Ahluwalia. Such exposure and financial support enables brands to reach a larger customer bases as well as gain valuable retail business insight.”
Omoyemi Akerele, Founder of Style House Files & Lagos Fashion Week, added: “This partnership with The Bicester Collection represents a shared vision to create meaningful market opportunities for African designers. As a global shopping destination that welcomes people from across the world to discover new brands, The Bicester Collection is perfectly positioned to help us establish a new narrative for African fashion – one that celebrates creativity, embraces sustainability, and nurtures emerging talent for the future.”
Priya Ahluwalia, founder of Ahluwalia, which was the 2023 Winner of The Bicester Collection Award at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards, commented, “Winning The Bicester Collection Award at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards holds a special place in my heart. It’s not just an accolade; it’s a symbol of the opportunities that exist for designers committed to making a positive impact. We’re incredibly grateful to The Bicester Collection team for their continued support.”
‘The Fabric of Change’ explored how partnerships with luxury destinations like The Bicester Collection can be scaled to foster economic growth and sustainable development in the African fashion industry. The roundtable identified actionable strategies to enhance mentorship, broaden market access and amplify the visibility of African craftsmanship globally.
For more information, visit www.lagosfashionweek.ng or follow @lagosfashionweekofficial on Instagram.
For more information about The Bicester Collection, visit www.TheBicesterCollection.com or follow @TheBicesterCollection on Instagram.
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About Lagos Fashion Week
Lagos Fashion Week (LagosFW) is a platform that drives the Nigerian and African fashion industry, bringing together buyers, consumers, and media to showcase designers’ collections over a four-day event in Lagos, Nigeria. As a leading event on the African fashion calendar, LagosFW is known for initiatives that support, strengthen, and develop the fashion industry. Beyond the runway, the platform is gradually repositioning fashion as a powerful tool for commerce and creativity in Nigeria.
About Style House Files
Style House Files (SHF) is a fashion business development agency committed to advancing the Nigerian and African textile and apparel industry. SHF combines cutting-edge creativity with initiatives designed to drive commercial success, exposure, and respect for the industry. Known for delivering innovative solutions, SHF has become the go-to agency for strategic projects in the African fashion sector.
The Bicester Collection
Created in 1995, The Bicester Collection has reimagined the boundaries around the worlds of luxury retail, hospitality, live music and sports entertainment, curating extraordinary experiences for the world’s most discerning guests. Located in Europe, China and North America, The Bicester Collection’s 12 Villages are world-renowned as iconic, open-air shopping destinations. Each offers the world’s best brands at incredible value, as well as celebrated restaurants and peerless services. For more than a quarter of a century since its founding, The Bicester Collection Villages’ mission has been to make the lives of others better – from the communities it serves to its guests, brand partners and its people. Through its DO GOOD programme, The Bicester Collection aims to drive sustainable social change in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on unlocking futures for women and children, wherever they’re born.
The Bicester Collection brings together extraordinary live music and sports experiences at the first third-generation UBS Arena serving the New York metro area (home to the New York Islanders ice hockey team), a pioneering concert venue featuring the Isles Lab Team concept store. The Collection’s award-winning hotel destinations, Mission Pacific Beach Resort and The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa (with its Michelin-starred restaurant, Valle; celebrated Sunny’s Spa & Beauty Lounge; and locally curated boutique The Ozone), are vibrant destinations in Southern California’s hidden gem, Oceanside.
The Bicester Collection exists to be experienced in the real world. To be actual, not virtual. To be lived. Discover more at TheBicesterCollection.com
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) is a non-profit association founded in 1958 to represent, promote, and support the values and development of Italian fashion in Italy and worldwide. Based in Milan, the world’s fashion capital, the Association represents around 220 Italian brands.
CNMI members include some of the biggest names in Italian fashion, such as Armani, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Etro, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Max Mara, Missoni, Moncler, OTB, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Trussardi, Valentino, Versace and ZEGNA.
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana members enjoy numerous services, as well as being able to take part in all the Association’s events and activities.
CNMI’s mission is to support the entire Italian fashion industry worldwide by maintaining institutional relationships and communicating our values and activities. One of the most important of our many initiatives is organising the Milan Fashion Weeks.
CNMI’s operating strategy and development are based on four pillars: Sustainability, Education and Young Designers; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Digitalization; and Internationalization.
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