Setting Trends in Sustainability: Kemi Dada’s Upcycle Vision — A Smash or Pass?

By Dimeji Alara

On Friday evening at Lagos Oriental Hotel, DD Fashion’s upcycle collection tagged Threads of Rebirth. Kemi Dada, the creative director seems to be pushing the boundaries of what upcycling can mean for African fashion with her new collection. With the global fashion industry wrestling with sustainability, her work asked a daring question: can waste truly be transformed into runway-worthy couture? The answer, judging by the audience’s mixed murmurs, hovers intriguingly between a smash and a pass.

The opening look was undeniably a smash, a white puff-sleeved bodice paired with a layered mini skirt in shades of purple and peach, built from strips of repurposed fabric. The exaggerated silhouette was playful yet powerful, giving new life to discarded textiles while embracing high drama. It was a reminder that sustainability need not dim glamour. If anything, it can amplify it.

Albeit, some of the other piece were underwhelming, especially the green outfit that blended peplum with sheath lines left the audience divided. The jagged fringes at the top seemed to flirt with rebellion, an artistic statement of flaws and reinvention. For some, it was bold deconstruction; for others, it read as unfinished, skimming too close to rawness without refinement. Still, the risk itself spoke volumes about Dada’s fearless approach to design and her willingness to let sustainability dictate form as much as function.

The tension across the collection is precisely what makes it compelling. Dada isn’t merely recycling; she is storytelling. Each garment carried the ghost of its past life, visible in the uneven cuts, layered textures, and reassembled fabrics. The refusal to disguise origin is what sets her apart in a fashion world that often prioritizes polish over purpose.

So, smash or pass? While not every piece hit perfection, the vision was undeniably a smash. By positioning upcycling as couture rather than compromise, Kemi Dada reframed sustainability not as a limitation but as a creative force. And in doing so, she made a bold case for the future of sustainable fashion on the global stage.