This article was drafted by Norman Busigu

Grand Opening, Grand Closing

Sat front row as an Official Press delegate at Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) on Saturday 9th August 2025 (this being Europe’s largest and longest-running annual showcase of African and African-inspired design talent), I found myself surrounded by committed connoisseurs, casual enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike of African fashion. This celebration of culture provided a thrilling two-day experience of indulging in the latest designs, details and dreams brought to life by designers, who use clothes as their canvas of expression.

Image of Transcendence Collection at Africa Fashion Week London (2025)

This being AFWL’s landmark 15th edition, it was evident that every measure was taken to make it as memorable as possible (including a pitch-perfect performance from Disney’s The Lion King Broadway cast). In true theatrical style, the pièce de resistance was definitely saved for last. As the lights in the room dramatically dimed to usher in the final runway show of day one, a cinematic short film (set in Balogun Market, Lagos, Nigeria) filled the holding screen that teleported the audience into the world that renowned Nigerian Creative Director Ifeanyi Nwune has carefully crafted through his brand, I.N Official.

His runway presentation made history, it being a ground-breaking collaboration between I.N Official and Meta AI that set a significant precedent as the world’s first AI powered fashion collection (titled “Transcendence”) by an African fashion house! The gravity of this achievement should not be overlooked, nor understated. For me, this moment foreshadowed the future of the fashion industry. Specifically, the endless possibilities of how African fashion can truly begin gaining the global prominence it deserves. After being in awe of what I had just witnessed, I knew that I needed to personally connect with Ifeanyi at all costs.

The Fight For Funding & Long-Term Financial Investment

To Ifeanyi’s credit, this incredible feat does not exist in isolation. Previous partnerships he has secured during the 10 years of I.N Official’s existence include the Aston Martin F1 Team and Glenfiddich Whisky. But this is not by chance or coincidence: as Ifeanyi explains it “every single move is very intentional”. Within this strategic approach, he is resolute in ensuring the DNA of his brand is entrenched with elements of luxury and lasting legacy. For him, “positioning is very important”, going onto highlight his holistic vision: “African fashion is something that a global investor should want to invest in. I want my brand to show credibility and bankability. I want those investors to know they are missing out by not partnering with us…”

I.N Official for the Aston Martin F1 x Glenfiddich Fashion Show

Sharing insight into how he secures such partnerships, he confidently commented that “the quality of our (I.N Official’s) offerings speak for themselves – as does the reputation of the overall brand. And it is because of this leverage that we hold, this means that we don’t chase them (collaborators etc). They come to us, organically.”

That said, being someone who is grounded in reality, he did he did not sugar coat the difficulties that he dances with. When I asked him what the biggest challenge has been in scaling his brand over the last decade, he - with a hint of anger, and without hesitation – said “Funding! Funding! Funding!”. Our conversation then took a brief turn towards discussing the state of affairs surrounding investment/funding being allocated to Black (owned) start-ups/businesses (etc). The data paints a rather grim picture. According to Forbes/Crunchbase, Black founders received just 0.4% of all U.S. venture funding in 2024 - down from 1.3% at the 2021 peak.

Shining light on this dire situation, Ifeanyi sounded both hurt and heartfelt while explaining the unfortunate reality that “we (Africans) have incredible ability and there is an undeniable demand for us and our creativity around the world… you will find Nigerians at the Met Gala, in Dubai, in China, Atlanta, London fashion week… you will find us everywhere! However, to make our careers and ventures sustainable, we really need the frameworks by which we can receive funding, to be institutionalised… to enable us (startups, brands etc) to begin creating solid foundations. Right now, we simply don’t have that.”

Image of Crude Matrix collection at Arise Fashion Week (2023)

Unafraid to speak his truth in pursuit of achieving a greater good, his word is his bond, going so far as to say that “we have to fight for something or die for nothing”. While in this stream of consciousness, he went on to add that “our government doesn’t help us enough. The Government of Lagos has offered some sponsorship at times, but it’s very small, and it’s clear they don’t truly understand how much financial backing we need. Its hard! But that’s why we started VVS (Very Very Special)”.

VVS was created, in simple terms, because “we know how hard it was coming up, and we want to help others”. In essence, VVS (now in its 5th year, and with an official App releasing later this year) is (as Ifeanyi describes it) a vehicle to help fund and support fashion brands. Talent and determination can only take you so far – and at a certain point, without capital, you cannot compete, or survive while in these arenas (it would seem). VVS is stepping in to help give others a fighting chance.

The Origins Of I.N Official

As someone who was always enamoured by the allures of the creative industry from afar, Ifeanyi was determined to exist within it by any means. Laughing in jest (with sprinkles of seriousness), he confessed that he was always innately drawn to fashion/design, because he “loved looking good… growing up I was a huge Kanye West fan, and I saw that if you look fly, you get all the girls!”. He then truthfully revealed the reality that “when we were young, we didn’t always feel fresh” - I took this to be an indirect reference to the era of when African culture in general terms wasn’t regarded as cool in the Global North. From this one statement, I could tell that part of his purpose as an adult, is to make his inner child and younger self proud. And he will do so by not only making himself “feel fresh” but the rest of the world in his clothes, while positively promoting African culture.

Throughout our various conversations, I came to realise that Ifeanyi is a sincere soul, but equally, has an enigmatic essence about him. An intriguing character, he is a man of few words that communicates with absolute clarity and striking precision. A smooth operator to say the least, he admits that “I don’t want be in front of screens - I want to behind the scenes”, showing himself as someone mastering the power of silence: moving in shadows, but still able to steal the spotlight and control the overall setting.

A true student of the game, he warmly referenced renowned Nigerian fashion designer Ugo Mozie as an inspiration. Ugo notably has styled Grammy-winning global superstars such as Beyonce, Chris Brown and Diana Ross. By citing Ugo, I could detect that Ifeanyi has set an extremely high bar for himself to reach by keeping individuals such as Ugo firmly in his mind. Hearing this made me curious to know who Ifeanyi seeks acknowledgment or co-signs from at this stage in his career, given the extensive roster of high-profile public figures/artists that have already been spotted wearing I.N Official, including: Davido, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, Big Sean, Dave East and Phyno.

Image of Davido wearing I.N Official (Billboard)

Almost immediately and without any hesitation, he blurted out the words “Michael Jackson” - this being his one person who he truly dreamed of wearing his clothes. Speaking with a degree of deep sorrow and sadness that the King of Pop is no longer among us, it genuinely felt as if Ifeanyi is still processing the fact that this specific collaboration which will never actualise. But because of this, rather than focusing on individuals, Ifeanyi prioritises accessibility and amplification of African culture for everyone. In this sense, he holds an egalitarian approach to fashion, as he wants “at least half the world to wear his clothes” as opposed to chasing celebrity co-signs, exclusivity and vanity.

Image of Stevie Wonder wearing I.N Official

Weaving The World Together With What We Wear

When asking Ifeanyi to convey what those magical moments at AFWL meant to him, he described the I.N Official and Meta AI partnership as a “monumental collaboration”. With sincerity, he went on to add that the significance of Meta AI “putting a young African brand in front of the world, is next level… this is a win for Africa, and not just Nigeria. Now, the world is truly seeing the value our (African) fashion brings…”.

From this response, it became clear he is very cognisant of the part he plays in the bigger picture of actualising Pan-African philosophies – and has embarked on a quest to harness the power of fashion as his means of achieving this. To this end, fashion is a vehicle for social change. In his words, “Fashion is a global language… it’s a catalyst to connect those of us here in Africa with the worldwide diaspora. Fashion is about being authentic in how you look and feel – being Fidelitas to oneself.”

Image of Crude Matrix collection at VVS Lagos Runway Show (2022)

“What I’ve seen over the years is, when I’ve gone overseas, to say L.A. or Milan previously, is that you are more respected when you wear your culture proudly. No lie Norman… I remember I met Jaden Smith (Christian Louboutin's first Men's Creative Director) at a party in Calabasas, and he said to me “Bro, I love your f*cking drip!”. Speaking fondly of this experience, he then said that Jaden invited him to a Christian Louboutin show and offered free clothes from the store.

And this parable, for Ifeanyi, is a perfect representation in practise of how fashion and cultural expression can connect us all. Fidelitas is a specific word he then mentioned again with fondness during our conversation while making this point. I came to learn it was a subtle nod to the fact that this is the name of his upcoming collection, which will be having an exclusive preview during a pop up event in Lagos on 6th April 2026 (powered by VVS).

Life, Love & Legacy Beyond Lagos

Ifeanyi’s creative process is one that is driven by seeking out “irregularities”. Always having a keen eye to what’s cool, he has maintained the guiding principle throughout his career to not “chase trends” – this is something I have observed in his decisions to create content beyond Lagos. Understandably, many instinctively flock to create in Lagos (to shoot major campaigns etc), as it is often hailed as an economic and cultural centre-point of Nigeria (and more widely, sub-Saharan Africa). But, for those who aren’t versed in the immense breadth of the country, each of its 36 states possesses rich cultural histories, experiences and nuances. Ifeanyi is working to ensure that the wider world knows that “there is more to Nigeria than just Lagos”.

For instance, his capsule collection campaign by I.N. Official x Glenfiddich (2025) was shot in Ogun state, where (fun fact) the fabrics were also made. When asked why it is important for him to showcase the Nigerian culture that exists beyond Lagos, he provided great detail into his thought process underpinning this stance: “We need to show more out of Lagos… Show more of the other states in our country like Abia state… We need to show states where traditional fabrics are woven… The decentralisation of production is needed”.

I.N Official x Glenfiddich capsule collection campaign

Ifeanyi then surprised me with an incredible story of how he worked with Grammy nominated rapper Travis Scott and his team for a shoot in Kano for a campaign – with everyone being “very impressed” with the outcome. This experience affirmed his belief that more focus should be placed beyond Lagos. He then asserted the self-assumed duty he holds to “showcase the real heritage of his country: we have traditional outfits in Kano that are over 100 years old that we need to show the world, whilst making money but not being scammed, or scamming others…”

Drawing comparison India and China, he acknowledged how they have “done a lot” in authentically offering their traditional culture to the world while preserving its essence, and creating successful business models around this practise. Ifeanyi urges Africans across the continent to take note and inspiration in these methods to marketing our culture while simultaneously bringing money into our communities.

While optimistic, he remains grounded in reality, appreciating that visiting and doing business in other states isn’t so easy in practise, given the fact that certain regions in his country are riddled with geo-political insecurity, which hinders the ability to move freely throughout Nigeria. Through the high calibre of craftsmanship and premium service his fashion house offers however, Ifeanyi is determined to rewrite the narrative that Nigerians (and Africans at large) are in a perpetual state of suffering. Especially with the traumatic times in Nigeria’s history such as the Biafra war, which has marred the perception of his people, he feels. In his words “we are thriving, and we deserve to hold space in environments of luxury and success”.