A review of NÁYA — The Threads of Legacy by Silknpurple at African Fashion Week Atlanta

By Dimeji Alara

The African Fashion Week Atlanta started off on a quiet electric atmosphere even before the first model stepped onto the runway. There were conversations going on as show attendees settled in for a night glitz and glamour. It was evident from the first glimpse of NAYA — The Threads of Legacy that Silknpurple, under the creative supervision of Nuvie Mercy Nnamani, was telling a story rather than just presenting garments.
Editors leaned forward, buyers whispered to one another, and the venue’s vibe remained intimate. Instinctively, photographers raise their cameras to get a sight of the runway.
The runway seemed more like a ceremonial passage where fashion and history were ready to collide than a stage.

Silknpurple has long been known for producing clothing that tells story, linking history with modernity. It’s no surprise that NÁYA explored the idea of heritage as something living, not frozen in time, but continuously rewritten by the women who carry it. The collection created clothes that exude strength, confidence, and emotional resonance by fusing traditional African design language with modern tailoring.

One of the collection is a flowing white top with matching trousers detailed with blue embroidered panels, cut with architectural precision and softened by the gentle movement of its fabric. As the model advanced, the garment responded like it was a living thing. The hemline moving elegantly with each step, the embroidery catching light like memory stitched into motion. The design appears to elicit murmurs of admiration and affection from the crowd.

This collection by Nuvie Mercy Nnamani demonstrates exceptional fabric fluency. The Textiles ranged from crisp cottons and structured brocades to lighter, fluid weaves that floated elegantly against the body. The tailoring was meticulous, neat seams, clean draping, intentional proportions. The tailoring honoured form without restraining it, allowing the garments to move in synergy with the models rather than against them.

Calm and confidence pervaded the runway. The models’ modest authority added to the collection’s emotional impact. This was restrained storytelling rather than spectacle-driven fashion. Every step reinforced the collection’s thesis: legacy is not inherited passively, it is worn actively.

If there was one moment where the narrative softened, it appeared in the transition between the opening statement pieces and some of the later, more minimal looks. Although the more subdued designs were more commercially viable, a more cohesive stylistic element might have maintained the emotional intensity more steadily throughout the entire show’s narrative.

Within the fashion folklore, NÁYA — The Threads of Legacy stands as a confident declaration of African identity. It doesn’t romanticise or discard the past. Rather, it reinterprets tradition as the basis for contemporary expression. By doing this, Silknpurple establishes itself firmly in the global dialogue about the future of fashion, where African design is a leading voice rather than a footnote.