Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion Week, is spearheading efforts to transform the African fashion industry through sustainable practices. Since its inception in 2011, Lagos Fashion Week has become the continent’s largest and most influential fashion platform, setting stringent sustainability standards for participating designers.

Akerele has mandated that all designers featured at the event adhere to responsible methods encompassing material sourcing, dyeing, production, and transportation. Beyond showcasing collections, the initiative includes skills development programmes aimed at strengthening local supply chains, revitalizing traditional craftsmanship, and repurposing waste materials into valuable products. This approach seeks to foster a fashion economy built on principles of circularity, cultural heritage, and community empowerment.

These sustainability practices have begun to resonate beyond Lagos, influencing broader industry trends across Africa. Following her recognition as the recipient of the 2025 Earthshot Prize in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category, Akerele and her team are planning to expand their model to other fashion hubs on the continent. The £1 million award will fund efforts to introduce similar sustainability frameworks at fashion weeks in Kigali, Rwanda; Dakar, Senegal; and Accra, Ghana, with the goal of elevating environmental standards across African fashion markets.

Akerele’s work highlights a growing movement within the global fashion sector to address its environmental impact by embedding sustainability at the core of production and design processes. Through Lagos Fashion Week, she is demonstrating how African designers can lead this transformation while simultaneously promoting economic development and cultural preservation.