Boisterous fashion week barnstorms 'sleepy' Nigerian capital

ABUJA, Oct 17 — Models in Nigeria showcased fashion creations on runways, featuring elaborate fabric and intricate designs. The colorful and detailed textiles were inspired by both Nigeria's own Carnival in Calabar and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. Nigeria Fashion Week, which concluded last Sunday, moved from the bustling Lagos to Abuja, a centrally planned administrative center known for its slower pace.

Lexy Mojo-Eyes, the organizer of the fashion week, shared that Abuja is quite relaxed and aims to transform it into a fashion hub. Despite being a slower city, Abuja is developing its own creative scene and has hosted various cultural events. Nigeria officially moved its capital to Abuja in 1991, but the city still retains a half-built appearance with modern office buildings and farms.

As Abuja expands, it has started to shed its sterile feel and is developing a photography festival, international film festival, and a growing literary scene. The organizers of Nigeria Fashion Week chose Abuja to foster dialogue between the industry and government, aiming to create an enabling environment for talent development and reforms in tourism and intellectual property law.

Libyan designer Rabia Ben Barka found Abuja to be clean and organized, describing it as "so clean" and "so organized," even though it was her first trip to Nigeria. Some of her boxy silhouettes featured retro women's shoulder pads, while a man walked down the runway in a metallic silver-and-black pinstripe suit, symbolizing a modern business suit for a city shedding its outdated image.

Despite the shift in venue, Lagos still hosts its separate fashion week, and the capacity of Abuja to support the creative sector remains to be seen. Many residents of Lagos are already struggling with high housing costs, and the government has been criticized for demolishing green areas and farms to make way for luxury developments.