VVS LAGOS
2026
Afromodernism
The conscious reconstruction of African identities using the tools of the future, while remaining deeply rooted in the soil of our past. Collaborating fashion, digital art, film, and strategy.
What Is VVS?
VVS Lagos is a creative convention born in Lagos and built for the world.
VVS exists to liberate African creatives through culture, community, opportunity, and innovation.
Traction & Impact
VVS Lagos by the numbers
Our Five Pillars
The foundation of our collective
01
Fashion
Runways & Exhibitions
02
Art
Curated Installations
03
Music
Performances & Culture
04
Film
Screenings & Storytelling
05
Tech
Tools & Innovation
About VVS
Our Mission is to liberate African creatives.
How we do it:
- Elevating cultural standards
- Building creative communities
- Improving access to capital
- Improving access to opportunities
- Building creative infrastructure
Our Evolution
The Debut
Date: July 16, 2022
Venue: The Good Beach, Lagos
Theme & Vision: VVS Lagos debuted as a new fashion week format designed to celebrate the intersection of fashion, art, technology, and culture.
- - Runway presentations from renowned designers
- - Curated art exhibition by Ken Nwadiogbu
- - Musical performances by Solis and Aylo
- - First-ever VVS Awards for Lifetime Achievement
The inaugural edition established VVS as more than a fashion show, introducing a multidisciplinary platform connecting fashion, art, culture, and technology.
Optimizing Technology for African Art & Design
Date: July 15, 2023
Venue: Wings Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos
Theme: Optimizing Technology for African Art & Design
Focus: Exploring how finance and technology can accelerate the growth of African fashion, art, and design industries.
- - Showcases from five Nigerian designers
- - Featured designers included: IN Official, TJ Who, Fruchè, Hertunba
- - Panel discussions on technology and finance in African fashion
- - Trunk sales
- - Art exhibitions
- - Performances by YKB and DJ Xclusive
The 2023 edition shifted the conversation toward innovation, digital transformation, and the future of African creative businesses.
The Luxury of Authenticity & Collaboration
Date: July 2, 2024
Venues: Alliance Française de Lagos, John Randle Museum
Theme: The Luxury of Authenticity & Collaboration
Focus: Exploring what authentic luxury means from an African perspective while emphasizing the power of creative partnerships and collaborations.
- - Industry panel conversations
- - Designer runway presentations
- - Trunk sales
- - Art exhibitions
- - Musical performances
- - Cross-disciplinary collaboration opportunities
The 2024 edition reinforced VVS's role as a platform where culture, commerce, and collaboration intersect to elevate African design globally.
Este Fuego: The Fire Forging The Future
Dates: July 7–13, 2025
Venues: Nahouse Lagos, British Council, Alliance Française, John Randle Museum
Theme: Este Fuego: The Fire Forging The Future
Focus: A celebration of the passion, resilience, and creative energy shaping the next generation of African innovation.
- - Expanded from a single-day event into a week-long festival
- - Government-endorsed programming
- - Activities across five programming pillars
- - Film screenings
- - Panel discussions
- - Fashion showcases and runway presentations
- - Featured designers: I.N Official, LFJ Official, TJ-Who
- - Performances by: Ayanfe, Caleboniel
VVS evolved from a convention into a city-wide cultural festival, significantly expanding its scale, programming, and influence.
AFROMODERNISM
VVS
FUTURE
LABS
VVS Future Labs is the developmental arm of VVS Lagos — designed to identify, mentor, showcase, and support the next generation of African creative talent across fashion, art, design, film, technology, and cultural entrepreneurship.
Established to move beyond celebration and visibility into actual talent development, infrastructure building, and economic empowerment.
To become Africa's leading creative incubator — helping emerging creatives transform their talent into sustainable, internationally recognised creative businesses.
The Access Gap
Africa has an extraordinary volume of creative talent — but talent alone does not translate to industry presence. The most critical barriers are structural.
Mentorship
No structured pathways connecting emerging talent to established creative leaders.
Funding
Limited access to early-stage creative capital and grant ecosystems.
Networks
Isolation from global industry networks, buyers, and collaborators.
Visibility
Systemic barriers to reaching international audiences and markets.
Markets
Underdeveloped commercial infrastructure for African creative IP.
2026 Focus Areas
Labs Residency
A curated 3-month creative development programme for 10 selected talents from across West Africa.
Mentorship Circles
Bi-weekly sessions pairing emerging creatives with VVS Innovators across disciplines.
Prototype Showcase
A dedicated VVS Future Labs presentation stage at VVS Lagos 2026 Week.
Creative Capital Initiative
Partnership with aligned investors to offer micro-grants and resource support to participants.
Creative Categories
What Participants Receive
Long-Term Ambition
To build Africa's most comprehensive creative talent-to-market pipeline — where talent is not just celebrated, but converted into economic output, cultural capital, and global industry presence.
Discover
Identify emerging talent across Africa
Develop
Structured mentorship & skill-building
Fund
Seed capital & resource access
Showcase
Platform at VVS events & exhibitions
Commercialise
Market entry & revenue pathways
“VVS Future Labs is not a competition — it is an infrastructure. We are building the ecosystem that African creative talent deserves: funded, mentored, connected, and commercialised.”
Applications open — VVS Lagos 2026
Apply for VVS Future LabsPast Partners
UNTIL VVS LAGOS 2026 KICKOFF
OFFICIAL INVITATION SENT DATE: JUNE 10TH, 2026
EVENT SCHEDULE IN LAGOS
Strategized flow of locations and events. July 5 - 12, 2026.
VVS Opening Gala & 5th Anniversary Celebration
An exclusive celebration commemorating 5 years of VVS creative boundary-pushing, honoring our 11 selected VVS Innovators. Features the honorary VVS awards, anniversary recap films, curated dinner, live comedy, and dress-coded theme party for 100 guests.
VVS Conversations & Panel Sessions
Five panel sessions on design, creative industry strategies, and technology integrations. Featuring fireside sessions with Korede Roberts, Tega Mavin, Aisha Augie. Panel insights on sustainability with Zara Odu, Kelvin Bumpa, Reni Folawiyo, Florentyna, Tolu Coye, Bola PSD, Wale Davies, Sade Okoya, and Mutesi Jolly. 120 guests.
VVS Collectors Day Preview
A private curated viewing for VIP art collectors and international buyers, showcasing exclusive work from our VVS Innovator collective. Features detailed artist explanations of their work, a curatorial introduction speech, and drinks. 150 HNIs.
VVS Pop Up & Art Exhibition Public Opening
The official public trunk show pop-up at A White Space Ikoyi presenting retail collections of the 11 VVS Innovator brands (including Hertunba, Onalaja, Fruché, I.N Official, TJ-Who), alongside the contemporary art exhibition extending at Windsor. 150 daily visitors.
VVS Film Experience & Panel Discussions
Co-hosted in partnership with AFRIFF. Cinematic panel sessions discussing digital storytelling and film archives. Screening the brand narrative 'Descendants' short film, live plays, and cultural documentaries celebrating VVS Innovators.
VVS Runway Presentation
The main fashion runway showcase of VVS Lagos 2026. Afromodernist haute couture collections designed by our selected Innovators, presented under the iconic Falomo bridge structure in a raw, concrete architectural setting.
VVS Closing Party
The final celebratory gathering. Bringing together VVS Innovators, partners, model cohorts, sponsors, and guests for a rooftop celebration. Curated DJ sets, drinks, and networking for 150 people.
THE INNOVATORS
IN OFFICIAL
HERTUNBA
LFJ OFFICIAL
TJ-WHO
PIECE ET PATCH
FRUCHÉ
ONALAJA
RE LAGOS
TOKYO JAMES
I AM ISIGO
TZAR STUDIOS
Our Network
1500+
Members
A network of creators, founders, investors and cultural leaders shaping Africa's creative economy.
Benefits
Who It's For
JOIN THE VVS SOCIETY
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