Nigerian designer pushes “Afro-lux” onto the global fashion scene

Its striking architecture, framed by latticework inspired by traditional Yoruba textiles, makes Alara — west Africa’s first fashion and design “concept store” — an imposing landmark in Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial capital.

Founded by Reni Folawiyo a decade ago, Alara embodies her vision of “Afro-lux,” a concept she defines as designs that balance tradition with modernity while positioning African fashion on the global stage.

Inside the store, upscale African labels share space with international brands, decorative art, and books — part of Folawiyo’s mission to place African creativity on equal footing with established global names. The building’s distinctive lattice is inspired by adire, a textile popular among the Yoruba people of southwest Nigeria.

“A lot of the beautiful things that people were making in different parts of Africa were not celebrated in the way that I thought they should be,” said the 60-year-old, explaining how rural craftsmanship often inspires Alara’s collections. “I felt very strongly in my belief that these objects and these people had value.”

Music stars become style ambassadors

West African design is experiencing a cultural moment, Folawiyo noted in an interview in Lagos, where she wore sunglasses with vivid pink lenses.

In May, Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Tems, and Ayra Starr appeared at New York’s Met Gala, dressed by British-Ghanaian designer Ozwald Boateng.

But for Folawiyo, global recognition requires more than occasional runway appearances. “At the moment, the best way to platform designers outside Africa is to partner and collaborate with institutions that are of repute,” she said, citing her recent pop-up store and exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and a collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Drawing from her Yoruba heritage — with its intricate textiles, bold colors, and elaborate ceremonies — Folawiyo also finds inspiration in Senegal’s rugged aesthetics and the Ivory Coast’s refined sophistication. “Alara is my own idea of what a celebration of Africa looks like,” she said.

Culture through cuisine

Behind the boutique lies NOK, a restaurant led by executive chef Pierre Thiam, the Senegalese culinary pioneer who has brought west African food to U.S. diners.

While still high-end, NOK offers more accessible prices than Alara’s fashion and design pieces — a delicate balance in a country marked by extremes: wealthy elites in the oil and tech sectors, a shrinking middle class strained by inflation, and millions of informal workers.

Amid Alara’s stark interior of black walls and white concrete, luxury items stand out as bold statements. A green dress by Nigerian label Eki Kere carries a price tag of 325,000 naira (around $210), while a sculptural table from Senegalese-Nigerian studio Salu Iwadi can fetch up to ten times more, underscoring the store’s blend of accessible fashion and high-end design.

Folawiyo herself comes from Lagos’s elite, as the wife of businessman Tunde Folawiyo and daughter of the late attorney general of Nigeria’s former Western Region, Lateef Adegbite.

But building her vision of African luxury was not easy. Convincing investors and partners to believe in “Afro-lux” proved challenging. “I was very committed to it and I had great belief in myself and my idea,” she said.

Now firmly established in Nigeria, Folawiyo also organizes international fashion showcases, including at Barbados’s Carifesta XV this month. But for her, the industry’s long-term success depends on “passing on knowledge to future generations.”