Unity in Design Global Network Presents SS26 Showcase: African Heritage Meets Contemporary Fashion
SS26 Spotlight: Designers Rooted in Culture and Innovation
This season, Black PR proudly coordinated the catwalk show for the Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN) during London Fashion Week, unveiling the much-anticipated Cultural Threads SS26 showcase on September 20, 2025, at Ladbroke Hall, London. The event served as a powerful new stage for fashion’s most innovative and culturally rooted voices, where heritage met modern design in a dynamic celebration of craftsmanship and creativity.
UDGN’s Cultural Threads runway marked a defining moment in the evolution of global fashion storytelling. The showcase brought together 16 designers whose collections embodied identity, memory, and future-making—offering a vibrant tapestry of cultural narratives expressed through design
The Vision Behind the Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN)
Founded by award-winning designer and British Fashion Council member Tare Isaac, UDGN is a pioneering platform reimagining the future of fashion by centering the visions, voices, and stories of minority designers worldwide. Operating as both a CIC and Ltd. entity, the organization provides technical support, business development, wellness care, and high-level PR for emerging designers through a unique incubator-to-showcase model.
As a designer, mentor, and cultural strategist, Tare Isaac created UDGN to become the platform she once needed—one that bridges talent and opportunity for designers often excluded from the mainstream. Of Ijaw descent from Nigeria, her own work fuses ancestral homage with future-forward craftsmanship, values that resonate deeply throughout the SS26 showcase.
A New Chapter in Global Fashion Storytelling
The Cultural Threads SS26 showcase represented more than a runway—it symbolized the rise of a new global fashion narrative. Through the collective creativity of 16 exceptional designers, the event highlighted the fusion of heritage, sustainability, and innovation, establishing African and diaspora design as a driving force in contemporary fashion.
The Shows
MOTUNRAYO – Of Water and Spirit
Designer Motunranyo Yetunde Ajayi unveiled “Of Water and Spirit”, a collection inspired by the sacred Osun Festival. Celebrating spiritual purity and divine femininity, the line blended ritualistic elegance with contemporary silhouettes, presenting fashion as a spiritual journey. Meet the brand: Motunrayo.co.uk
AYAH – The Fisherman’s Echo
With “The Fisherman’s Echo”, designer Ayah Ebimobowei Daukoru paid tribute to the riverside life of the Niger Delta. The collection captured water’s rhythm and resilience through rich textures, fluid colors, and silhouettes echoing the strength of river communities. Meet the brand: Ayahfashion.co
ZUBERE – ULO NWAANYi: The Woman’s Homecoming
Designer Nancy Chizubere Johnson-Chidiadi celebrated Igbo traditions with “ULO NWAANYi”. Inspired by the ceremonial entrance of an Igbo bride, the collection radiated joy, elegance, and matriarchal strength through vibrant textiles and structured forms that honor lineage and legacy. Meet the brand: Zubere.co.uk
MIDETUSH – Air and Stripes (Afefe Ati Awon Ila)
Oyewunmi Olumide Kolapo presented “Air and Stripes”, an exploration of Yoruba cultural heritage fused with modern urban style. The garments balanced ancient tradition with immediacy, creating pieces that feel timeless yet relevant to today’s fashion landscape. Meet the brand: Midetushbespoke.com
BOLA – Inheritance
Designer Omobolanle Sulleman transformed the Ojude Oba Festival into wearable art with “Inheritance”. The collection celebrated communal elegance and regal splendor, where every detail reflected history, pride, and pageantry, connecting the past with contemporary luxury. Meet the brand: Bolasulleman.com
KAYPEEFOOTWEARS – APATA: Legacy Underfoot
With “APATA”, designer Omoyoloye Kolapo Ibiyinka showcased footwear inspired by the rugged terrains of Yorubaland. The line blended durability with symbolic detail, turning each step into an expression of ancestral grounding and cultural resilience. Meet the brand: Kaypeefootwear.com
JERMAINE BLEU – Twa Me Foto (Take My Photo)
Closing the showcase, designer Jason Jermaine Asiedu presented “Twa Me Foto”, a joyful love letter to self-expression and style. With vintage hues, romantic silhouettes, and playful details, the collection celebrated the art of dressing up and the beauty of capturing moments that last forever. Meet the brand: Jermainebleu.studio
ROBES AND BLINGS BY AKOKOMALI (RBA) – TIWA N TIWA (Ours is Ours)
Designer Olaitan Maria Olatoke redefined tradition with “TIWA N TIWA”. Once tied to rituals of judgment and purity, the white cloth was transformed into a symbol of resistance, power, and womanhood. Through evocative tailoring and rich textures, the collection reclaimed heritage as strength. Meet the brand: Robesandblings.com
LEKAN AARE – Homage to the King
Lekan Taofeek Folarin delivered “Homage to the King”, a contemporary tribute to Yoruba nobility. With tailored lines, structural forms, and opulent fabrics, the collection reinvented masculine elegance for the modern era while honoring royal heritage. Meet the brand: Lekanaare.com
PEM – The Spirit Wears Red
Designer Mary Princess Obeya presented “The Spirit Wears Red”, an ode to Idoma women as dancers, mothers, and spiritual leaders. The collection embraced generational strength and beauty, brought to life through crimson hues and layered, flowing silhouettes.
OOMO AJADI – White Oracle: The Eko Spirit Walk
With “White Oracle”, designer Yusuf Kareem Gbolahan drew inspiration from the Elo Masquerade of Lagos Island. Ethereal and minimalist, the collection wove spiritual traditions into contemporary fashion, where fabric became a sacred language of identity. Meet the brand: Oomoajadi.com
OBIREEN – Okpa n’Iyoba
Designer Salami Oluwaseun Victoria honored the legacy of Queen Idia of Benin with “Okpa n’Iyoba”. Merging royal motifs with ceremonial elegance, the collection fused tradition and modernity, evoking pride, resilience, and timeless grandeur. Meet the brand: Obireen.com
THE IDEAL CRAFTSMAN – The Five
Olutoba Mercy Odetomi unveiled “The Five”, a menswear homage to Yoruba spirituality. Inspired by the five orishas, the collection blended classic tailoring with symbolic design, balancing quiet power with cultural storytelling. Meet the brand: @theidealcraftsman
ANKU – Woven Stories
Designer Kelvin Vincent explored ancestry in “Woven Stories”, tracing connections to the Ewe and Akan peoples. The collection layered textures, colors, and tones into garments that embodied intergenerational wisdom, pride, and cultural memory.
ITELE – Freedom
Seyi Agboola presented “Freedom”, a collection narrating Nigeria’s journey from colonialism to independence. With bold forms and rich textiles, it honored resilience, national pride, and the unity forged through self-determination. Meet the brand: Iteleuk.com
TWIN BY TARE ISAAC – The Water Bearer
Designer Tare Isaac celebrated the Ijaw people’s relationship with the sea in “The Water Bearer”. Fluid, beaded, and tactile, the collection evoked movement, feminine power, and ancestral storytelling, transforming maritime heritage into elegant fashion. Meet the brand: Twinbytareisaac.com
Make Up Artists Credits
Loretta Agyemang @luxebylorey
Sarah Agbiji @modernwand
Josephine Blades @allurefacesuk
Amber Wilson @amberwilsonmua
Morẹ́nikẹ́ Akinnawonu @madeup.bymo
Ana Rocha @anarocha_makeup_
Sindi Zulu @sindsbeauty
Daniela Le @haiyenglam
Hair Stylists Credits
@cz.beauty — Cherie Odunayo
@Styledbyteenz – Tinofara
@krystals.touch— Christabel Okoye
@teescrowns — Toyosi Agbaniyaka
@melaninhairldn – Emeline Betzie
Spanish version
Unity in Design Global Network Presenta SS26 Showcase: La Herencia Africana se Encuentra con la Moda Contemporánea
SS26 Spotlight: Diseñadores Arraigados en la Cultura y la Innovación
Esta temporada, Black PR coordinó con orgullo el desfile de la Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN) durante la Semana de la Moda de Londres, presentando el tan esperado Cultural Threads SS26 Showcase el 20 de septiembre de 2025 en Ladbroke Hall, Londres. El evento se convirtió en un escenario poderoso para las voces más innovadoras y culturalmente arraigadas de la moda, donde la herencia se fusionó con el diseño moderno en una dinámica celebración de la creatividad y la artesanía.
La pasarela Cultural Threads de UDGN marcó un momento decisivo en la evolución del relato global de la moda. La muestra reunió a 16 diseñadores cuyas colecciones encarnaron identidad, memoria y visión de futuro, tejiendo un vibrante tapiz de narrativas culturales expresadas a través del diseño.
La Visión Detrás de la Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN)
Fundada por la galardonada diseñadora y miembro del British Fashion Council, Tare Isaac, UDGN es una plataforma pionera que reimagina el futuro de la moda al colocar en el centro las visiones, voces e historias de diseñadores pertenecientes a minorías en todo el mundo. Funcionando como una entidad CIC y Ltd., la organización ofrece apoyo técnico, desarrollo empresarial, bienestar integral y relaciones públicas de alto nivel para diseñadores emergentes a través de un modelo único de incubadora a pasarela.
Como diseñadora, mentora y estratega cultural, Tare Isaac creó UDGN para convertirse en la plataforma que ella misma una vez necesitó: una red que conecta el talento con las oportunidades para diseñadores frecuentemente excluidos del mercado principal. De ascendencia Ijaw (Nigeria), su trabajo combina un profundo homenaje ancestral con una visión artesanal orientada al futuro, valores que se reflejan con fuerza en la presentación SS26.
Un Nuevo Capítulo en la Historia de la Moda Global
El Cultural Threads SS26 Showcase representó mucho más que una pasarela: simbolizó el surgimiento de una nueva narrativa global en la moda. A través de la creatividad colectiva de 16 diseñadores excepcionales, el evento destacó la fusión entre herencia, sostenibilidad e innovación, consolidando el diseño africano y de la diáspora como una fuerza impulsora en la moda contemporánea.
Los Shows
MOTUNRAYO – Of Water and Spirit
La diseñadora Motunranyo Yetunde Ajayi presentó “Of Water and Spirit”, inspirada en el sagrado Festival de Osun. Una colección que celebró la pureza espiritual y la feminidad divina, combinando la elegancia ritual con siluetas contemporáneas.
AYAH – The Fisherman’s Echo
Con “The Fisherman’s Echo”, la diseñadora Ayah Ebimobowei Daukoru rindió homenaje a la vida junto al río en el Delta del Níger. La colección transmitió el ritmo del agua y la resiliencia comunitaria a través de texturas, colores fluidos y siluetas que reflejan la fuerza de estas comunidades.
ZUBERE – ULO NWAANYi: El Regreso de la Mujer
La diseñadora Nancy Chizubere Johnson-Chidiadi celebró la tradición igbo con “ULO NWAANYi”. Inspirada en la entrada ceremonial de la novia igbo, la colección encarnó alegría, elegancia y fortaleza matriarcal mediante textiles vibrantes y formas estructuradas que honran el linaje.
MIDETUSH – Air and Stripes (Afefe Ati Awon Ila)
Oyewunmi Olumide Kolapo presentó “Air and Stripes”, una exploración de la herencia cultural yoruba fusionada con el estilo urbano contemporáneo. Cada prenda equilibró lo ancestral con lo moderno, ofreciendo un lenguaje de moda atemporal y actual.
BOLA – Inheritance
La diseñadora Omobolanle Sulleman transformó el esplendor del Festival Ojude Oba en moda con “Inheritance”. Una colección que celebró la elegancia comunal y el orgullo histórico, donde cada detalle evocó tradición, grandeza y legado.
KAYPEEFOOTWEARS – APATA: Legado Bajo los Pies
Con “APATA”, el diseñador Omoyoloye Kolapo Ibiyinka presentó una línea de calzado inspirada en los terrenos rocosos de la tierra yoruba. Cada diseño combinó resistencia y detalle simbólico, conectando la pisada con el arraigo ancestral.
JERMAINE BLEU – Twa Me Foto (Take My Photo)
Para cerrar la presentación, el diseñador Jason Jermaine Asiedu mostró “Twa Me Foto”, una carta de amor a la autoexpresión y el estilo personal. Con tonos vintage, siluetas románticas y un aire festivo, la colección celebró la tradición de vestirse con orgullo y capturar momentos eternos.
Una visión colectiva para el futuro de la moda
El escaparate SS26 demostró que los diseñadores africanos están transformando la moda global, con propuestas que equilibran profundidad cultural, sostenibilidad y estética contemporánea. Desde la elegancia ritual hasta el esplendor festivo y la alegría expresiva, cada colección reafirmó que la moda sigue siendo una de las formas más poderosas de contar historias y preservar legados.
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