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The Royal Oath: A Fashion Show Reviving Benin’s Regal Heritage in Abuja

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On February 23rd in Abuja  the audience at the Royal Oath witnessed a captivating fashion show that featured history, culture and style. Organized by Africana Couture under the leadership of Charles Oronsaye, the event was more than a fashion show; it was a revival of the 18th-century wedding from the Benin kingdom.

 

Benin cultural attire

Benin cultural attire

A Journey Back To Time

The Royal Oath fashion show took her audience back in time to the era of Oba Ewuare, a greatly respected king of the Benin king bringing to our attention his marriage to two sisters. The event brought to life history through elaborate costumes, traditional dances, and performances that pay homage to the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria. Royal Oath didn’t stop at Benin; it also showcased influences from other African cultures, including the Urhobo, Arewa, Yoruba, Igbo, Senegalese, Malian, and Ivorian kingdoms.

 

F

Fashion and Culture

Fashion Meets Culture

Africana Couture is known for its commitment in preserving and promoting African heritage through fashion. It tells real African stories instead of embracing foreign influences, the brand emphasizes the importance of cultural identity “We are sticking to culture; we are not borrowing stories,” says Oronsaye.

The fashion show doesn’t focus on beauty alone; it’s a deep experience that educates and inspires. Those who attended saw intricate designs that reflected the magnificence of African royalty, complemented by performances that reenact these stories on stage.

 

Real warri pikin

Empowering the Next Generation

Aside from the fun of the show, Royal Oath served as a platform where emerging talents in the fashion industry are trained. Also Africana Couture plans to set up aspiring designers, offering them training and opportunities to display their work on a global stage.  This idea would stem continuous growth and innovation within Nigeria’s fashion space.

 

The Royal Oath

The Royal Oath

Economic and Social Impact

Also the event added a positive impact on the Nigerian economy. It brought an avenue for job opportunities for photographers, stylists, costumiers, and other artists. Africana Couture  has launched the Africana 17 Charitable Foundation, with the goal of supporting Nigeria’s healthcare sector. The foundation’s first project  is focused on raising funds for dialysis machines for the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, establishing the brand’s dedication to social responsibility.

 

Culture and Fashion

A Cultural Movement

The Royal Oath was not just a  fashion show; it was a cultural movement that aimed at  preserving and celebrating Nigeria’s rich roots. By  bringing back traditional elements through contemporary fashion, the event promoted a greater sense of unity and national pride. Oronsaye says, “By preserving and promoting our heritage, we can inspire future generations and strengthen our national identity.”

 

Federal ministry of culture and tourism partnering with Africana couture

 

Conclusion

In a time where globalization often dominates local traditions, The Royal Oath stands as a proof to the power of storytelling through fashion. It not only reveals the beauty of African culture but also empowers the next generation of creatives to embrace and promote their history.

The Royal Oath by Africana Couture was exceptional, an event one should swear an oath never to miss. Look out for another event by Africana Couture.Charles Oronsaye and his team are indeed an Inspiration upcoming fashion enthusiast should look out for.

 

read this too Davido’s presence in Lagos fashion week

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Fashion

Solange Omon Walks Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as Its Newest Angel

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Photo: Getty Images

Solange Omon has been named Victoria’s Secret’s newest Angel after making her runway debut at the brand’s 2026 Fashion Show on Sunday, October 18, in Culver City, California. The 21-year-old model won the title after competing in Angels Among Us, a YouTube docuseries that followed the search for a new face for the lingerie brand.

Omon appeared in the show’s Autumn Changes segment, walking alone in a gold-winged outfit. She wore a nude-coloured lingerie set with black lace detailing and draped fabric attached to her fingers. The competition brought aspiring models from across the United States into the running for the role.

Photo: Getty Images

Victoria’s Secret received more than 100,000 applications for the opportunity. Omon was among 10 women selected for the programme, which included photo shoots, fittings and runway training in New York. She advanced to the final three alongside Andreína Martínez and Tatyana Tinsley before winning the competition.

Originally from Cameroon, Omon lives in Maine, where she attended college and worked before entering the competition. She worked as a programme coordinator at nonprofit organisations, helping Black and immigrant young people with job applications, professional networking and access to mentors. She also connected them with educational and community resources.

Photo: Getty Images

Omon’s prize includes an exclusive modelling contract with IMG Models.

Victoria’s Secret chief executive Hillary Super welcomed Omon to the brand, praising her individuality and personality. The company’s executive creative director, Adam Selman, also commended her authenticity and determination throughout the selection process.

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Rachael Ojuromi Makes Chanel SS27 Runway Debut After Viral Lagos Show Recreation

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Photo: Rachael Ojuromi

Nigerian model and creative Rachael Ojuromi has made her Chanel runway debut at the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2027 show in Paris, taking a fashion recreation she staged in Lagos to the Chanel runway. Ojuromi, 22, walked in Chanel’s SS27 presentation at the Grand Palais on October 5, where designer Matthieu Blazy presented his latest collection for the French fashion house.

For the show, Ojuromi wore a chartreuse-and-ash tweed look, featuring a yellowish-green and grey palette, with a crimson handbag. The outfit was part of Blazy’s SS27 collection, which brought Chanel’s signature tweed together with different textures and accessories.

Photo: Rachael Ojuromi

Her Chanel debut is also connected to a project she created in Lagos with Fasingha and photographer Odey Ikpä. The trio recreated looks inspired by Blazy’s Chanel Métiers d’Art collection using thrifted pieces and clothes they already owned, then photographed them in different parts of Lagos. Rather than copy the original presentation, they placed the looks in familiar city settings and gave the project a distinctly Nigerian setting.

The project soon drew attention to Ojuromi, Fasingha and Ikpä. Ojuromi said the idea was not simply to copy Chanel’s collection, but to capture the feeling behind Blazy’s work and interpret it through her own surroundings. The approach allowed the Lagos shoot to stand on its own rather than mirror the original collection.

Photo: Rachael Ojuromi

Blazy later noticed the project, creating a link between the Lagos recreation and Ojuromi’s appearance in Paris. Ojuromi has described the opportunity as the result of several steps rather than one defining moment.

For Ojuromi, modelling is part of a wider creative career. Before pursuing it seriously, she worked in filmmaking and creative direction and founded The Process Africa, a platform focused on documenting and supporting young African creatives. Her projects with Fasingha became another outlet for that work, often using Lagos as their backdrop.

Photo: Rachael Ojuromi

Her work in Lagos eventually opened a door to Paris, adding a major international runway credit to the creative career she had already been building.

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Onalaja Unveils Re:Birth at London Fashion Week After Studio Fire

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Photo: Jessica Madavo

Nigerian-British designer Kanyinsola Onalaja presented her Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Re:Birth, at London Fashion Week on Sunday, September 20, marking her first appearance on the event’s official calendar. The presentation came two months after a fire destroyed her London studio, warehouse and more than a decade of her work.

The fire at Onalaja’s studio and warehouse in northwest London destroyed past collections, samples, fabrics, sketchbooks, bespoke commissions and wholesale orders. Her mother had also recently sent her Istituto Marangoni graduate collection to London, along with pieces from some of her earlier collections. Those pieces were lost in the fire as well. The blaze reportedly lasted four days before it was extinguished.

Photo: ca.fashionnetwork.com

After the fire, Onalaja moved into a new studio and continued working towards London Fashion Week. She also returned to an unfinished 2020 project called Rising From the Ashes. The idea became the starting point for Re:Birth, with the collection drawing from the fire and what came after it.

Re:Birth is divided into three stages, The Burn, The Ash and The Rebirth. The opening looks use burnt orange shades and textures inspired by glowing embers. The colours then shift to smoky grey and black before brighter shades and flashes of light appear in the final stage.

Photo: ca.fashionnetwork.com

Handwork runs through the collection, with broken beads, fringe and feathers used across several pieces. Embroidery, fabric painting and dyeing bring Yoruba and Edo influences into the designs, while Onalaja’s 1970s-inspired “disco glam” style appears in the heavily embellished occasionwear.

The label also offers an extended size range. Onalaja’s official London Fashion Week profile lists sizes from XXS to XXXXL and describes the brand as focused on demi-couture womenswear, embroidery and embellishment. Founded in 2014, the label has dressed celebrities including Tems, Olivia Dean and Ciara.

Photo: ca.fashionnetwork.com

Rather than recreate what was lost, Re:Birth turns the experience into a new beginning, moving from the imagery of fire and ash towards colour, light and renewal

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