Over 50 Designers and Industry Leaders Gear Up for Epic Fashion Week 2026

Mark your calendars for May 23–24, 2026, as Epic Fashion Week—the highly anticipated evolution of the Epic Show by Fashions Finest Africa—takes over The Podium in Lekki, Lagos. Creative mogul Sola Oyebade, widely known as Mr Mahogany, officially announced the upcoming edition during a recent virtual conference, promising a spectacular showcase of style and innovation.

This year’s edition of the lifestyle event centers heavily on sustainable fashion, emerging talents, and spotlighting the broader African fashion ecosystem.

The two-day event will unite designers, buyers, media personalities, investors, fashion lovers, and key industry players for an immersive experience focused on creativity, collaboration, and new opportunities. With free access granted to attendees, the event aims to welcome a broader community of fashion enthusiasts and professionals to engage, connect, and discover the evolving landscape of fashion.

The platform embodies the broader vision of Fashions Finest Africa through a strategic ecosystem. This structure features EPIC Fashion Week as its premier showcase arm and D4DF (Design for the Future) as its core initiative dedicated to sustainability and industry development.

During a recent briefing in Lagos, Founder of Fashions Finest Africa and Producer of Epic Fashion Week, Sola Oyebade, also known as “Mr. Mahogany” shared:

“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”

We’re not just celebrating fashion, but we’re also building an industry where designers are not only discovered but developed, funded and positioned for long-term success. We want to change the narrative within Nigeria.

Sola Oyebade, Founder of Fashions Finest Africa

“So Epic Fashion Week was created with a clear purpose to go beyond the traditional ideas of fashion weeks as just runway shows and instead build a platform that truly works for designers. I mean, that’s a platform that not only gives visibility, but creates real opportunities”

The journey for emerging designers kicks off with an intensive incubation phase, equipping them with essential training in ethical sourcing, sustainable design, and responsible production.

The next stage will see participants enter a competitive phase where their designs will be evaluated on both creative excellence and commercial viability. Finalists will receive access to capital funding and a comprehensive, one-year mentorship program paired with industry leaders.

According to Mr Oyebade, the 50 designers chosen for the 2026 edition were evaluated on five core criteria: a distinct design identity, innovation, regional relevance, commercial readiness, and long-term growth potential.