Style House Files Concludes Woven Threads VII “CRAFTED” in Lagos

Published: April 16, 2026 Last Updated on 7 minutes ago by Esther Ejoh

From April 9 to 12, 2026, Style House Files (SHF) hosted the seventh edition of Woven Threads VII: “CRAFTED” in Lagos. The four-day event at 274A Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, convened fashion designers, curators, innovators, policymakers, and cultural producers to examine craft as both method and system.

The programme advanced discussions on circularity, material futures, responsible production, and sustainable innovation within Africa’s fashion and textile sectors.

Curated by Kenyan cultural producer and creative director Sunny Dolat (co-founder of The Nest Collective), this edition examined the processes, people, and responsibilities behind fashion.

Emphasizing upcycling, reconstruction, waste mapping, and community-driven practices, Woven Threads VII presented African craftsmanship as a dynamic force addressing global challenges such as textile waste and overproduction.

The event featured digital presentations, panel discussions, live workshops, an exhibition, designer showcases, and networking opportunities, attracting both industry leaders and the public.

Omoyemi Akerele, Founder and CEO of Style House Files and Lagos Fashion Week, opened the programme on April 10 with a welcome address. She emphasized a shift toward systems thinking in African fashion, highlighting craft as both cultural heritage and a tool for regeneration.

Highlights from the Four-Day Programme

Day 1 (April 9) kicked off with a digital programme featuring presentations and films that set the tone for the edition. These online sessions explored craft practices, material intelligence, and the stories behind sustainable making, allowing a broader audience to engage before the in-person events began.

Day 2 (April 10) marked the official opening with Omoyemi Akerele’s welcome address, followed by the CRAFTED Talks series. A standout session was the fireside chat “In Conversation with Sunny Dolat,” moderated by Adaeze Oguzie, offering intimate insights into the curatorial vision.

The day also featured the launch of Project IRAPADA, a significant research initiative backed by the Bestseller Foundation and supported by LAWMA (Lagos Waste Management Authority). IRAPADA maps textile waste across Lagos’ fashion ecosystem, enabling designers to work with pre- and post-consumer waste while building systems for tracking and responsible material use.

This practical step moves sustainability discourse from conversation to infrastructure-building.

The evening concluded with a VIP cocktail and a curatorial walkthrough of the CRAFTED Exhibition, where attendees viewed installations highlighting material innovation and circular design.

Days 3 and 4 (April 11–12) featured panel sessions, workshops, live demonstrations, and designer presentations. Highlights included:

• The African Fashion Compact x The Earthshot Prize panel — a headline conversation on shared principles for a responsible future. Speakers included Omoyemi Akerele, Simone Smit (Earthshot Prize Director of Africa), Adama Paris (Dakar Fashion Week), Mahlet Teklemariam (Hub of Africa Fashion Week), Liz Ricketts (The OR Foundation), Jackie May (TWYG), and Renee Neblett (Kokrobitey Institute). The session examined systems-led thinking and collective action toward a more sustainable African fashion ecosystem.
• Material Futures and other CRAFTED Talks explored upcycling, reconstruction, and responsible production.
• The CRAFTED x The Makers Camp panel, moderated by Ugonna Orah, featured Berni Yates of Central Saint Martins and Pettre Taylor.
• Live workshops included the Rework Lab by Tuntunre, as well as demonstrations of weaving, macramé, and adaptive reuse.

Designer presentations and runway shows featured talents dedicated to circular practice and material innovation, including Hertunba, Pettre Taylor, Eso by Liman, Ajanee, Pepperrow, OSH OBOR, Cute-Saint, This Is Us, Cynthia Abila, Maliko, NYA, Ywande, Emmy Kasbit, Eki Kere, Tuntunre, Dunsin Crafts, Yoshita, Mitimeth, Nkwo, Wote KI, Studio Namnyak, Nakoi, 1967, Africa Collect Textiles, Lilabare, and others. The exhibition and presentations highlighted works that reimagine waste, honor traditional techniques, and advance African fashion through craft-focused design.

Why Woven Threads VII “CRAFTED” Matters for African Fashion

In an industry often criticized for speed, waste, and extractive practices, Woven Threads VII distinguished itself through its deliberate pace and depth. It positioned craft as a methodology, not merely decorative, and encouraged participants to view fashion as a system shaped by material, labor, and community.

The inclusion of Project IRAPADA and the partnership with The Earthshot Prize provided tangible progress, moving beyond symbolic gestures to real infrastructure and cross-continental collaboration.

Sunny Dolat’s curation offered a critical perspective on identity, representation, and material culture, linking garments to broader systemic issues. The event reinforced Lagos Fashion Week and Style House Files’ ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and capacity building within Africa’s creative economy.

Public and industry feedback highlighted the balance of intellectual depth, practical workshops, and engaging presentations. The exhibition and live demonstrations enabled attendees to observe craft in practice, while panels encouraged dialogue on accountability and collective responsibility.

Looking Ahead: The Legacy of Woven Threads

As Style House Files concludes this edition, Woven Threads VII “CRAFTED” establishes a clear legacy: African fashion can lead globally by grounding innovation in heritage, responsibility, and community. The discussions on waste mapping, material futures, and shared principles will continue to influence designers, brands, and policymakers across the continent.

For those who missed the event, digital presentations remain available on YouTube, providing insight into the programme. Style House Files continues to drive growth through its platforms, Lagos Fashion Week and Woven Threads, demonstrating that thoughtful, craft-centered approaches can foster a more resilient and regenerative fashion future.

Woven Threads VII “CRAFTED” was more than an event; it affirmed that the future of African fashion is being shaped now, with intention, care, and respect for the hands, materials, and stories that make it possible.

Photo: Lagos Fashion Week