How Iamisigo Took Nigerian Craft to Copenhagen Fashion Week—and Rebooted the Global Design Nation Narrative
Stop scrolling and read this: Nigerian designers aren’t just showing up — they’re leading revolutions in global fashion. The latest proof is Iamisigo, the Lagos-Accra-Nairobi slow-design powerhouse that just shook up Copenhagen Fashion Week (SS26).
The Moment
After winning the 2025 Zalando Visionary Award—complete with €50K in funding, mentorship, and a bespoke runway budget—Bubu Ogisi’s Iamisigo debuted its “Dual Mandate” SS26 collection at CPHFW.
Playing at the intersection of art and ritual, the show wasn’t fashion theatre—it was a spiritual ceremony on a runway, with layered textures, grass, bark-cloth, reflective glass, and ancestral energy armor that turned bodies into landscapes.
This wasn’t about trends—it was an expression, a statement.
Why This Matters to Marketers & Brand Enthusiasts
| Signal Detected | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Iamisigo wins Visionary award | Validation that African-first, ethical storytelling is now global currency. advisormag.co+9Vogue Business+9ELLE+9Hypebae+4Africa Fashion Tour+4copenhagenfashionweek.com+4 |
| Collections rooted in ritual, not just aesthetics | High-touch craftsmanship meets high-concept messaging. Vogue ScandinaviaELLE |
| Global brand exposure without sacrificing identity | Lagos remains the heartbeat, Europe sees the pulse. Vogue BusinessAfrica Fashion Tour |
This isn’t fashion. It’s cultural exportation—and any brand building global resonance must decode how Iamisigo did it.
The Marketing Playbook, SoroSoke-Style
1. Own Your Story, Don’t Sell It
Iamisigo’s aesthetic isn’t about trends—it’s rooted in ancestral knowledge and sustainable craft. Their runway didn’t need to be pretty; it needed to be meaningful.
2. Let Visual Perception Lead Before the Sales Pitch
When a bark-cloth coat reflects ambient light like a light show, you don’t talk specs. You talk energy architecture—Mandela-like storytelling with every thread.
3. Trust Culture Over Commerce
Zalando didn’t just fund this run—they co-created a piece that still felt radically African, even as it played in a European fashion ecosystem. That’s cultural solidarity. That’s positioning.
TL;DR
Iamisigo didn’t just show up at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
It arrived, carved out space, and shifted how global fashion thinks about craft, ritual, and Africa.
Before you go read: What’s new in the Nigerian Marketing Awards
SoroSoke Tip:
When brand strategy honors origin, innovation, and values—it stops being a campaign.
It becomes a movement.
