With different weather seasons and time zones, there’s always a fashion week underway somewhere in the world. Fashion week is the grand showcase where designers unveil their latest collections before they are released in stores. This spring/summer 2026 season began on a high note in Portugal, followed by Copenhagen Fashion Week, where IamIsigo showcased a brilliant collection driven by artistry and handiwork.
While the cancellation of South African Fashion Week last month created some uncertainty, London and Milan delivered brilliance that championed African storytelling and voices. Among the standouts were Labrum, Tokyo James, and Jermaine Bleu — names helping to shift and shape the narrative of Pan-African style on the global stage.
London Fashion Week: Labrum London and Jermaine Bleu
If there’s one highlight at Labrum London’s shows, it’s captivating textures and patterns. Designed by Foday Dumbuya, the brand’s immersive showcases blend fashion, poetry, and music to create experiences where garments are only one part of the story.
This 2026 season, the brand’s showcase at London Fashion Week featured a live orchestra and choir that brought every look to life with each note. Named Osmosis, the collection had a casual ease to it — capturing not just style, but a mood of transformation. Foday’s beloved tailoring was mixed with sportswear pieces as part of the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Adidas.
Drawing inspiration from his West African roots and upbringing in Sierra Leone, Cyprus, and London, Foday translated how traditions evolve and take on new forms as they move through and are adopted in different spaces and environments. His vision culminated in laid-back, lightweight summer dresses, matching sets for both menswear and womenswear, and suits decorated with visual metaphors — symbolic motifs that have become a signature of the brand, reflecting the designer’s rich heritage and perspective as a UK-based creative from Sierra Leone.
Beyond the garments, accessories also made a big impact on the runway. Sailor caps and wide summer hats came in layered proportions and inventive shapes, while makeup and brooch details paid homage to ancestral African adornment.
Elsewhere in London, Ghanaian designer Jason Jermaine Asiedu of Jermaine Bleu explored old family albums this season. Titled Tiwa Me Foto in Ghanaian Twi, which translates to Take Me Photo, his collection was initially released ahead of the London showcase and explores family photos from the 1970s and 1980s, capturing the essence of that era through rich kente textiles. Jermaine reimagines timeless tailoring through bold silhouettes and nostalgia-infused refinement.
From shorts to full suits and fringe dresses, Jermaine captures the thrill of dressing up and memory-making in this showcase. “This collection is a love letter to that energy,” the designer revealed in his press notes — “the ceremony of self-preservation and the tradition of capturing moments that live on forever.”
Milan Fashion Week: Tokyo James
Tokyo James, the Nigerian-British designer, continues to lead with craft for his eponymous fashion brand. For his latest spring/summer 2026 show, presented at Milan Fashion Week, Tokyo sought a balance between “artistic and wearable.” He proposed statement pieces for everyday dressing — garments that engage the senses through tactile experience and movement.
A series of black sheer gowns with flame-red yarn appliqué were crafted to imitate the shadows of flames, while trousers and shirts were embellished with hanging threads, a striking technique that ran throughout the collection. According to the designer, the showcase was inspired by chaos and everyday life, shifting between sombre and joyful emotions.
Standout looks included a womenswear outfit featuring hybrid trousers combining leopard-print fabric with beading, styled with a black jacket with a beaded collar; leather pants and jackets with woven details; and lacy menswear trousers that blended masculine appeal with flirtatious transparency. If the goal was to push the boundaries of craft, mission accomplished.
Portugal Fashion Week: Nkwo
Earlier in the season, at Portugal Fashion Week, award-winning Nigerian brand Nkwo presented a collection inspired by its own journey. Since relocating from London to Abuja, Nkwo has emerged as a driving force in sustainable fashion and innovative design. Its limited-edition collections are crafted from repurposed denim and the brand’s own sustainable textile made from denim offcuts.
At the Portugal showcase, Nkwo highlighted traditionally woven denim and indigo-dyed garments that reflected the brand’s commitment to conscious design. Highlights included deconstructed dresses, poncho-like frocks in sculptural shapes and dramatic fringes, and a low-key, delicately distressed ensemble with a long slit. It was a fascinating collection filled with texture, storytelling, and refined technique.
