Best Fashion Designers in Nigeria Online (Complete List)

Top 100 Best Nigerian Fashion designers (Complete List)

Nigeria is a major fashion powerhouse not only in Africa but globally. Several best fashion designers in Nigeria have won a lot of accolades for their exceptional work and roles in exhibiting the Nigerian culture, and diversity. These iconic Nigerian fashion designers are on Instagram or have websites where you can easily reach them. We all love fashion, don’t we?

Everyone has the urge to look different, neat, impressive and gain the attention of other people with their stylish outfits. Even though being notable as fashionable doesn’t mean wearing extravagant clothes or accessories. You can as well put on simple looking clothes and still look fashionable and all that. This is the work of fashion designers who take time to study the materials needed, the design, the special occasion and put several other things into consideration before creating stylish outfits.

Consciously or unconsciously, we are being judged by our dressing and appearance on a daily basis. Just like they say ‘we are addressed the way we dress’. Thanks to social media, we can easily spot them on Instagram and Facebook. They also have fashion blogs showcasing their works. When you talk about Nigerian fashion designers, these are designers with established brands who are in the game of giving you the latest best Nigerian fashion styles.

Clothing being a basic need of humans has made fashion an inevitable part of our lives. Many Nigerians, both male and female have worked hard to sand out in the fashion industry all over the world. Apart from the traditional media, social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., has made it very easy for fashion designers to showcase their creative works to a large number of people in different countries.

These top listed best fashion designers in Nigeria in 2024 are undoubtedly fantastic and there many others not here but these are the top outstanding professional fashion designers among them.

These are the Top 100 fashion designers in Nigeria;

• Lola Faturoti
• Duro Olowu
• Zizi Cardow
• Ohimai Atafo
• Lisa Folawiyo
• Ade Bakare
• Frank Oshodi
• Lanre da Silva
• Deola Sagoe
• Folake Folarin
• Yomi Casual

Scroll down to see others…

 1. Lola Faturoti

Lola Faturoti tops the list of Top 100 best fashion designers in Nigeria and she is a native of Ondo state who was raised in Ondo, but she studied in London. Lola began her fashion designing career in 1993 after she graduated from London where she studied fashion designing in the university.

In 2000, She made her debut in the fashion industry when she created a fashion sensation in the New York Fashion Week at the Ralph Lauren’s Fashion Show.

Since then, Lola has stayed notable in New York fashion industry, she said that her grandmother who was also a  fashion designer of Nigerian native clothes sparked up fashion designing passion in her.

She stepped into the fashion limelight in the United States during Obama’s campaign period when she designed the Obama print dress with these words “ Olowa gba President Obama” boldly inscribed on it.

At some point, she took a brief break from handling her fashion business and relocated to Milan in Italy to improve on her talents. For those three years she designed for top-notch reputable fashion designers and when she was done, she returned to the States for her major comeback collection launch for Fall-Winter 2007-08.

Lola’s special ability to mix prints and perfectly design clothes that pass a message of her roots vividly is her niche.

 

2. Duro Olowu

Duro Olowu is a highly ranked, top Nigerian fashion designer who is widely known for his attraction for bright colors, his cuts that are masterpiece and the vintage print on his designs. Olowu, who was born of a Jamaican mother and a Nigerian father grew up in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria is based in London.

Here is a man who traveled to and from Nigeria and various European cities in his childhood days. He eventually studied law in London before returning to Nigeria and got interested in fashion design. The rich textures, off-beat patterns, and eclectic colors of his clothe designs show both his African heritage and world view. He has a lot of high profiled clients including the former U.S. first lady, Michelle Obama.

In 2004, Olowu launched his first all-female collections; his designs are sold wide world in several prestigious boutiques like Biffi in Milan and Ikram in Chicago. Olowu is also widely known for his amazing Nigerian stylish outfits.

 Instagram @DuroOlowu.

Duro Olowu has also clinched a series of awards. He also got voted as “Dress of the year” by both the British and American Vogue in 2005.  She also “Best International Designer” at the 2010 African Fashion Awards in South Africa.

 

 

3. Zizi Cardow

Zizi Cardow is a native of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria and she is the Chief Executive Officer of Zizi Industrial Company which she founded in the year 2000.

Due to her African fabric and designs, she is an outstanding Nigerian fashion designer. Zizi has earned many trendsetters as well as first ladies as customers and fans while her work has even been featured in all local and international media such as CNN, SABC, FTV, and Channel O.

She won the below-listed awards:

• Nigerian Fashion Show, 2001- The prestigious “Designer of the Year Award”.
• Pillar of National Development Gold Award, 2007.
• African Role Model Leadership Gold Award, 2007.
• Nigeria Enterprise Award for Excellence, 2008.
• Great Legend of Africa Gold Award, 2008

 

In 2011, Zizi Cardow was awarded the title of Isiukwato’s Ada Ejiaga Mba 1 in recognition of her tremendous contribution to the growth of her community and country. Her designs for 2013 were presented at the 2013 African Fashion Week in London.

 

4. Ohimai Atafo

Also known as Mai Atafo, Ohimai Atafo is an outstanding Nigerian fashion designer, widely-known for his Bespoke style. The clothing label of Atafo has become popular and has attracted top customers. His designs were showcased at various high-profile events, and he even dressed up celebrities such as Gbenro Ajibade, 2 Baba, Mercy Johnson, Stephanie Okereke, etc.

Ohimai was born in Ile Ife, Osun State; from City University, United Kingdom, he holds a Masters in Information System and Technology. When his brand, Bespoke Fashion Designs hit the fashion industry in 2007, he caught the fashion industry’s attention. The Pioneer clients of Atafo were mainly celebrities such as Omowunmi and Banky W.

In 2011, he launched a marriage line and bagged several accolades and awards around Africa for his contributions to fashion design and styles; these include:

• City People Fashion and Style, 2009- Hottest New Male Designer Award.
• Mode Men, 2010- Fashion Designer of the Year Award.
• City People Fashion and Style, 2010- Special Recognition Award.
• Mode Men, 2010- Best Dressed Man of the Year Award.
• FAB Magazine, 2010 edition – Fashion Brand of the Year.
• Covenant University – Redefining Fashion Contribution Award, 2010.
• Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week, 2015- Menswear Designer of the Year Award.
• People Fashion and Style, 2015- Special Recognition Award

 

Follow him on Instagram @MaiAtafo.

 

5. Lisa Folawiyo

Lisa Folawiyo is Jewel By Lisa’s founder and creative director. Lisa is well known for the vibrant wax-resistant, colored fabrics that are unique to West Africa and widely used across the continent called textile Ankara, with which she creates luxurious and very attractive print clothes.

Lisa has gone abroad and runs a New York showroom. Her collections in South Africa and the UK are also on display. Tasha Smith and Beyonce were among some of her celebrity followers.

Her website is www.lisafolawiyo.com  and her Instagram page is @LisaFolawiyo.

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6. Ade Bakare

This rare gem of fashion design was born in Bromsgrove, UK and graduated from Manchester University College after which he started to work at Victor Edelstein’s and Christian Stambolian’s fashion houses, providers of style to the English establishment in the 80s and 90s. That’s where he gained his skills and experience in tailoring.

This Fashion design unique gem was born in Bromsgrove, UK, and emerged from Manchester University College, where he began working in the fashion houses of Victor Edelstein and Christian Stambolian, who represented the English style in the 1980s and 1990s.

It was in 2011 that Bakare unveiled a collection of Jersey dresses at the elegant Wheat Baker Hotel, Ikeja, during the occasion of Ade Bakare Couture’s two decades of fashion industry in Nigeria.

 

7. Frank Oshodi

Frank Oshodi is Nigeria’s top fashion designer, reflecting Nigeria’s dynamic diversity in its designs. He began his career as a model for many fashion houses such as Dakota to Nikki Africana and TV commercials such as Macleans toothpaste, Ultrasheen, Indomie noodles, etc.

Then he became a model manager and finally found his niche in the design of his label, Bunor’s House and Fashion.

Frank Oshodi became a household name when Silverbird chose him as Agbani Darego’s make-up artist and designer to win the Miss World Beauty Pageant in 2001. This is why Frank Oshodi’s name is associated with elegance and beauty that is simple and effortless.

Frank championed events with programs such as the West African Fashion Week 2008 that brought Nigerian fashion to the forefront. In the Nigerian fashion scene, he remains a force to reckon with. He specializes in the garments of Bride and Bridesmaid, and is best known for his stylish outfits in Nigeria.

8. Lanre da Silva

She is one of Nigeria’s top fashion designers and founder of the design label. Lance da Silva creatively combines patterns, printing, exquisite and even traditional fabrics to make daywear, gowns, evening wear, making her label successful outside Nigeria.

Lanre’s styling first struck the Nigerian fashion industry in 2005 with legendary 1940s Couture signature models as a result of what has emerged into a far more modern and state-of-the-art brand and a gargantuan fashion home.

She had a chance to hang out with heavyweights such as American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief, Franca Sozanni and Creative Director of GTBank Lagos Fashion and Design Week, Omoyemi Akerele, and several others when she unveiled her much-awaited S / S 2015 collection.

Her website is www.lanredasilvaajayi.com.

 

9. Deola Sagoe

Deola Sagoe is known as haute couture fashion for her creation of exclusive custom-made clothing. She comes from the state of Ondo and started her fashion design carrier in 1989. Deola is House Deola’s CEO. She is also on the Top 100 fashion designers in Nigeria.

A firm believer in the age-old colorful tradition that she incorporates into her delightful designs ‘ many layers and complexities. Deola’s African glamor and prints celebration has drawn her international fans and clientele such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith. She has also won awards, including the 2000 MNET / Anglo Gold Africa Designs.

She was able to give back through the United Nations “World Food Programme” program “Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food.”

10. Folake Folarin

Born in 1974, Folake Folarin is the CEO, Tiffany Ambers. Her degree was in law, but after her studies in Switzerland and the UK, she changed career to pursue her vision in fashion design on her return to Lagos in 1998.

Sixteen years after the release of her brand, Flaky has become an icon in the fashion industry in Nigeria and abroad, as lovingly named by loved ones.

Folake made waves as the first African fashion designer to stage a show twice at the New York Fashion Week in 2008 and was the first winner of the 2009 “Designer of the Year” award at the Johannesburg, South Africa African Fashion Week.

At the ARISE Magazine Fashion Week in 2011, she was also awarded “The Year’s Fashion Brand.” At the 2013 Women, Inspiration and Enterprise (WIE) Symposium, Folake received an Enterprise Award in 2013 and made the Forbes Power Women list.

Recognized for the depths of her colorful creations, this fashion designer has given back to her roots through projects such as “Made in Africa” created by Vogue Italia in partnership with Yoox.com. As a way to sell to the world the African market.

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11. Yomi Makun

Yomi Makun clothing also known as Yomi Casual–a brand specializing in African designs, followed by more than 500k followers on Instagram, particularly cut to suit African design.  With his collections, he has set a standard of attracting celebrity-like models. He is without a doubt one of Nigeria’s best fashion designers.

He specializes in traditional African wear and the stylish Nigerian outfits he designed gave him a distinction that makes him stand out from the rest. For Nigerian celebrities like Desmond Elliot, his brother (AY), Aki and Pawpaw, Yomi Makun have designed stylish outfits.

Follow @YomiCasual

One thing is that eventually enough Nigerian fashion designers will join the leagues of the world’s top fashion brands and make a mark that will always stick.

 

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