BLISS & GLAMOUR” by Mhenase Touch:

Dimeji Alara

Designer Amenawon Monica Okoh, founder of Mhenase Touch, presents her new collection BLISS & GLAMOUR, a body of work that reflects the evolution of her creative voice as she deepens her engagement with cultural identity and the modern needs of the global Nigerian community.

Okoh is a designer whose work reflects

years of dedicated practice and a steadily evolving artistic identity. Her commitment to womenswear design, shaped through her experience creating bespoke pieces for clients in Nigeria and beyond, brings a maturity to BLISS & GLAMOUR that distinguishes it within contemporary African fashion. This collection places her confidently among the growing class of designers reframing African ceremonial
fashion into refined internationally recognised art forms.

The BLISS & GLAMOUR collection pays homage to the iconic owambe setting,
which is a lively, extravagant, community centered celebration that is at the heart of Nigerian social culture. While some designers go for a more decorative look with this theme, Mhenase Touch opts for a more sophisticated look by focussing on

precision tailoring, cultural symbolism, and structural refinement. This elevates the meaning and potential of contemporary occasion wear.

She uses traditional fabrics like lace, silk, damask, brocade, Ankara, and textured fabrics with embellishments, which still resonates with the Yoruba, Edo, and Igbo ceremonial traditions. What distinguishes this collection is how she arranges and needles these materials into defined modern shapes.

This shows that owambe fashion

style can stay true to its roots while still being relevant around the world. The
dramatic sleeves, refined bodice shaping, and sleek, tailored lines show that the designer knows how to make garments fit, look good, and be fashionable in a modern way.

She has shown mastery in how she handles proportion. She plays with
big sleeves, tight waists, and long skirts, all while keeping a sense of harmony that shows she knows the rules of modern tailoring and is brave enough to break them when she needs to.
The owambe culture is just as strong in London, Manchester, New York, Houston, Toronto, and Amsterdam as it is in Lagos or Benin City. The same is true for BLISS & GLAMOUR.

The collection is refreshingly flexible. It has garments that honour tradition for people who live in Nigeria and garments that are more cosmopolitan for
Nigerians living abroad who want to express their culture without giving up fit, comfort, or modern style. Mhenase Touch through this collection has presented herself as a designer who can appeal to both local and international markets because of this duality. This is an important quality for getting recognition around the world.

BLISS & GLAMOUR is not only beautiful, but it also has a clear vision. Amenawon
Monica Okoh is designing with purpose. She’s not just making garments: she’s also giving her brand a unique cultural and aesthetic identity. You can see the discipline and sophistication in her collection through the clarity of its tailoring and the confidence of its creative direction. It reflects a designer who has moved beyond
experimentation into purposeful expression, signalling that Okoh is ready to transition from a rising talent into a distinguished voice in African and international luxury fashion.

Even though this collection has confident tailoring, striking sleeve architecture, and a sophisticated mix of traditional fabrics with modern silhouettes, there is still room
for more creativity. The designer could explore a wider range of silhouettes and
subtle textural contrasts to deepen the brand’s evolving aesthetic. Adding new,
modern colour combinations while still using ceremonial palettes would make the pieces even more visually rich and elevate the modern reinterpretation of culturalfashion.

The collection would also benefit from stronger editorial storytelling to
visually show how elegant and important the garments are on a global stage.
Improving campaign styling, narrative concepts, and photographic direction would help the brand’s identity and reach. Adding small but consistent signature details to future designs could also help create a recognisable Mhenase Touch fingerprint, which would further strengthen the designer’s growing voice in luxury African and international fashion.

Mhenase Touch’s BLISS & GLAMOUR is a sophisticated take on modern
ceremonial fashion. It is a cultural statement, a celebration of identity, and a modern reimagining of Nigerian ceremonial dresses. Amenawon Monica Okoh shows a level of maturity and artistic direction that deserves to be seen on global stages. She
combines careful tailoring with striking silhouettes and purposeful storytelling.

She is clearly ready to make a difference in the changing global story of African luxury and international fashion, bringing a perspective defined by intention, skill, and cultural resonance.