Lagos Fashion Week has been named as one of the 2025 Earthshot Prize finalists, together with an elite list of global innovators. This nomination positions Nigeria’s trailblazing fashion showcase not only as a regional cultural trailblazer but also as a global leader in the transition to sustainable, circular, and socially conscious design.
What Is the Earthshot Prize?
The Earthshot Prize, established by Prince William in 2020, searches for radical solutions to the world’s largest environmental challenges. The Prize chooses five annual themes, such as “Build a Waste-Free World,” “Fix Our Climate,” and “Revive Our Oceans,” and selects global finalists whose work aligns with these themes.
For the 2025 cycle, Lagos Fashion Week has been nominated in the “Build a Waste-Free World” category. It is a fitting combination: fashion, especially fast fashion, and textile waste have long been criticized for being environmentally bad. Being included in this category indicates that Lagos Fashion Week is recognised as a force for waste reduction, circular system enhancement, and sustainable design.
This year, out of nearly 2,500 nominations, 15 finalists in all the categories were chosen. The overall winners will be declared in early November in Rio de Janeiro.
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Why Lagos Fashion Week?
Since its launch in 2011, the platform has evolved from a fashion platform into a movement, uniting designers, artisans, and policymakers behind a shared vision of sustainable fashion. In 2020, it launched its most highly visible sustainability platform, Woven Threads, to support designers and brands that are adopting responsible, ethical, and circular processes.
Through exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations, Woven Threads has emerged as an education, innovation, and advocacy hub, giving designers tangible tools to reduce waste and rethink their production systems.
The event also embeds circularity into Nigeria’s fashion and textile sectors, driving local sourcing, recycling of fabric, and upcycling. Instead of just showcasing runway styles, Lagos Fashion Week puts sustainability front and center as a driver of development and creativity.
This focus is put into the creation of local craft communities and artisans. By supporting future designers and championing handmade craftsmanship, Lagos Fashion Week is fostering a generation that combines cultural heritage with eco-conscious values.
Founder Omoyemi Akerele has also been vocal about wanting to bring sustainability to African fashion. On the occasion of the Earthshot nomination, she noted that the award “is not so much about Lagos Fashion Week but about the ecosystem of designers, artisans, and youth who have continued to demonstrate that African fashion has something strong and enduring to contribute to the world. To us, sustainability is not a fad; it’s about survival.”
Her leadership and vision have set the pace in leading the initiative, and her personal recognition, including her appointment this year as a climate leadership fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, cements her position as a thought leader in global sustainability.
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A New Era for African Fashion
Earning a spot as an Earthshot finalist is a huge deal for the African fashion world. It immediately puts the continent on the global map, demonstrating to the world that Africa is a major player in addressing climate concerns. For a long time, African fashion has been all about its rich culture, and this recognition really drives home that it’s also a key part of the global conversation on sustainability.
With all the attention from international media and the doors it opens for funding, Lagos Fashion Week’s nomination is a big boost for designers, business owners, and new companies across Africa, giving them the chance to blend their creativity with eco-friendly practices.
As more investors and policymakers take an interest in sustainably, Africa’s whole fashion industry, from green production methods to recycling old clothes, could start attracting a lot more attention. It’s a clear sign that being sustainable and profitable can go hand-in-hand, and that the creative minds across the continent are fully capable of making that happen.
Even though only five winners will be chosen for the Earthshot Prize, Lagos Fashion Week has already made a big impact. What’s next is about growing its influence, working together even more closely, and showing that African fashion isn’t just about looking good; it can be a real force for solving climate problems.
