Epic Fashion Week 2026 Reaffirms Backing for Emerging Designers

Iyke Bede

Epic Fashion Week 2026 has been unveiled in Lagos with a renewed focus on supporting emerging designers through a more structured approach to growth, visibility, and industry access within Africa’s fashion ecosystem.

Formerly known as Epic Show, the platform was formally introduced on May 5, 2026, signalling a strategic shift by Fashions Finest Africa towards building a system that goes beyond runway showcases to actively develop talent. The repositioning places emphasis on long-term opportunities for designers, particularly those at the early stages of their careers, while integrating sustainability and innovation into the broader creative industry.

The 2026 edition is scheduled to hold from May 23 to 24 at The Podium in Lekki, Lagos. Organisers say the event will be open to the public at no cost, a move aimed at widening access for fashion enthusiasts and industry participants, while creating more entry points for emerging designers to engage with buyers, investors, and collaborators.

Managing the platform as part of a wider ecosystem, Fashions Finest Africa is aligning Epic Fashion Week with Design for the Future (D4DF), its sustainability and development initiative. Together, both arms are expected to provide a pipeline that supports designers from exposure to enterprise, with a focus on equipping them for both local relevance and global competitiveness.

Speaking on the direction of the platform, the founder of Fashions Finest Africa and producer of Epic Fashion Week, Sola Oyebade, also known as Mr Mahogany, said the initiative is designed to address longstanding gaps in how African fashion talent is nurtured and positioned.

“Epic Fashion Week was created to give emerging designers more than visibility. It is about building a real ecosystem where talent can grow, be seen, and connect to opportunities that move them forward. African fashion has always had creativity; what we are doing is building the structure that helps it scale globally and be taken seriously at every level.”

Organisers noted that the event will feature runway presentations, curated exhibitions, and industry-led sessions designed to facilitate collaboration and direct engagement between designers and key stakeholders. The structure, they added, is intended to move designers beyond exposure into measurable growth, particularly in areas such as market access, funding, and brand development.