Lagos Fashion Week Diaries: Cynthia Abila

in the spotlight

Lagos Fashion Week Diaries: Cynthia Abila

The designer gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a runway show and new collection to life.

By Lindsay Samson

Oct 28, 2022

Thanks to the glamorous after-parties, flashing cameras, and the coming together of the who's-who of the industry, Fashion Week is a glitzy and exciting spectacle of beauty and entertainment. But for the designers and those working behind the scenes, it can be stressful, and exhausting, owing to the amount of work that goes into it. The logistics involved in putting together a smooth presentation are countless, not to mention the pressure on designers to conceptualize and produce collections that improve on their last and stand out from the rest.

As a mainstay on the annual Lagos Fashion Week schedule, Nigerian designer Cynthia Abila knows this better than most. Passionate about African cultures and the tradition of storytelling that characterizes them, this is something that has long informed her design approach—feminine polish and avant-garde silhouettes. She serves up collections that are fearless and focused, her pieces offering a symphony of bold, ecstatic color imbued with a spirit of youthful whimsy. Mostly made from locally hand-woven cotton in bold colorful patterns indigenous to the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the brand’s tailored classics, resort wear-inspired jumpsuits, and draped, floor-length dresses are created with women of varying shapes and sizes in mind.

Produced by a predominately female team of artisans, Abila will be showcasing her SS'23 collection on October 29th. In her own words, the designer gives us a glimpse behind the scenes in the lead-up to her SS‘23 show at Lagos Fashion Week.

Cynthia Abila. Photo: via Cynthia Abila

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

“The preparation for fashion week takes a lot more than people think and there are a lot of different aspects to getting ready. It starts with the thought process of the collection. For my brand, the first thing I do is get inspired from whatever source and from that inspiration I craft a story around the collection. This story is what incites other processes such as textile design, illustrations and sketches, fabric/textile production, pattern drafting, garment production and fittings. Textile design is a really intense process; most of our fabrics are artisanally produced in house for exclusivity.”

team work makes the dream work

“It takes a whole team of professionals to bring a fashion show together. It takes roles as varied as the textile designer, fabric production team, the illustrators, pattern drafters, tailors and dressmakers, fit models, marketing, media and PR.”

NOT ALL GLITZ AND GLAMOR

“The most common misconception is that people think fashion week is one long glamorous party and that no one is actually working. They don’t realize that a lot of work, time and resources go into producing a successful runway show.”

Photo: Masego in a custom Emmy Kasbit ensemble. Via @emmykasbit

Textile weavers. Photo: via Cynthia Abila

Textile weaver. Photo: via Cynthia Abila

Woven textile. Photo: via Cynthia Abila

LAGOS FASHION WEEK

“Lagos Fashion Week has given a lot of visibility to the brand and this makes us think outside the box when creating a collection. Being in fashion shows helps your aesthetics become more prominent and the world at large notices you. Generally, it has mostly been an amazing experience. This season I’m looking forward to the opportunity to change the narrative and incite change when I display my pieces on the runway.”

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER

“My most memorable runway event was definitely when a model almost fell off the runway while wearing one of my pieces on the catwalk."

THE NEW COLLECTION

"The Spring/Summer ‘23 collection I’ll be debuting this year was inspired by the 'caste system' in my native land. The caste system in my native land is a form of social discrimination characterized by ritual status and cultural notions of purity in the community. The collection is titled 'Sold to the Gods'. My standout look is the first piece, which tells the whole story at a glance and the ensuing looks represent liberation, freedom, equality and sameness. The silhouettes are very modern which reminds us of recent times, to keep the past in the past and embrace the now and the future."