This digital age is image obsessed, and the fashion image – whether photograph, film, illustration, GIF, retail installation or catwalk show – is more important than ever. Forget stories of superstars and supersized egos; the reality is that collaboration is key to image-making in the fashion industry. It takes creative cooperation between models, stylists, art directors, photographers, designers and more to realise beautiful, influential images.

The British Council’s Fashion DNA: Image-Makers is a programme of masterclasses, collaborative workshops, and public events delivered in partnership with Lagos Fashion and Design Week (28-31 October). We aim to provide training and insight for budding Nigerian fashion creatives, guided by experts from UK and Nigeria’s fashion image-making industries.  

From the 20 October, sixteen young Nigerian designers – selected as part of Fashion Focus at Lagos Fashion and Design Week  - will be paired with UK and Nigerian professionals for intensive workshops. Our Nigerian experts include photographers Kelechi Amadi and Lakin Ogunbanwo,  and stylists Dimeji Alara and Tokyo James.  From the UK we have photographers Darren Black and Nina Manandhar,  and stylists Rebekah Roy and Carri Munden. The public will have a window on these workshops via “How to” films posted online.

We’re also putting on a public set of masterclasses, A.K.A. Creative Hustles, exploring creativity and branding, and launching an Instagram competition asking everyone to awaken their inner image-maker.

The programme hopes to build on last year’s Fashion DNA, engaging more of Nigerian’s ambitious young creatives and supporting the strong cultural, creative and inter-disciplinary connections between Nigeria and the UK.

Fashion DNA has been designed in partnership with Lagos Design and Fashion week and our friends in the Creative Economy team here at the British Council.