The Tamesis
Winter in Berlin can (and does) feel more gray than gray, so the blast of color that Nigerian designer Adebayo Okelawal presented at Saturday night’s Orange Culture show felt like a very welcome respite from the sunshine and joy.
This season and Okelawal’s previous collection (which was presented in all white, unusual for the brand) paid tribute to his mother, who died of cancer in 2024. “Last season I felt sad throughout the collection, whereas this season it’s more of a happy attitude that reflects our relationship,” he said after his second show in Berlin.
He named this series “The Backyard of Memory,” as if returning to the place where his warmest and most vivid childhood memories reside: the space behind his family’s house. “In Nigeria, backyards have their own language. It’s a place where you learn freedom first and then responsibility. Brothers and sisters bond here, neighbors come and go, and there’s joy even in the simplicity,” Okrawal explains. His memories of clothes drying in the sun, flowers, a certain softness and shades of yellow, orange, red and green are translated into bright tonal combinations; delicate shirts, dresses; and skirts with flowing silhouettes; and strong sculptural and sartorial elements that also pay homage to his mother, a judge. There is a silk blouse with a childlike painting of Okrawal and his mother. Elsewhere, he embellished with sequins, fringes and fringes.
At its heart, the collection is a celebration of collaboration. All Orange Culture pieces are made in Nigeria from locally sourced fabrics, and this season, Okelawal is working with local artisans. The prints were developed with Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Paolo Sisiano; the bags, inspired by the West African percussion instrument Shekere, were created in collaboration with Kisara; the men’s shoes are made by Moni Morgan and the women’s sandals by Kkerele; and the belts are a joint project with King Davidid, both Lagos-based brands. “I want to use my platform to uplift others,” Okrawal said. He certainly did, both for his collaborators and the audience.
