HOW THE NEXT GENERATION IS REINVENTING AFRICAN TEXTILES For the second year running, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL), The Adire Oodua Textile Hub has partnered with the Manchester Metropolitan University’s Fashion Institute to challenge the next generation of designers to engage with one of West Africa’s most iconic heritage textiles: Adire. The brief was simple in theory, but ambitious in practice. Secondyear BA Fashion and Textile students were asked to explore how Adire fabrics could reach a new, clearly defined audience while preserving and communicating the origins, cultural significance and craftsmanship behind these historic textiles. But this year the bar was raised. Instead of designing a single product, the students were asked to think like entrepreneurs, strategists and storytellers. Each team had to develop a full business proposal centred on a collaboration with the Adire Oodua Hub. Across the programme, students explored sustainability, technology, storytelling, and new commercial models, demonstrating that heritage textiles like Adire are not relics of the past but powerful materials for shaping the future of fashion and culture. Two standout projects rose to the top... Agile - Supporting Motherhood Through Design One of the winning concepts, Agile, reimagined the textile through the lens of motherhood and movement. Working collaboratively across disciplines within the institute, the team developed a concept for a modern women’s sportswear brand that creates sustainable, functional sportswear designed specifically for mothers. Grounded in nature, heritage and the beauty of everyday motherhood, Agile proposes working directly with Nigerian artisans to incorporate authentic Adire fabrics into contemporary sportswear. Their hero product was a multi-functional maternity sports jacket, designed to support women through every stage of pregnancy – before, during and after. The garment combines adaptability, comfort and technical design with the distinctive visual identity of Adire. Adire Pixels - Bringing Heritage into the Gaming Universe The second winning concept pushed the boundaries of what ‘fashion’ can mean in a digital world. Adire Pixels explored how the visual language of Adire could live inside the rapidly expanding gaming ecosystem. The team developed the concept of a fully digital fashion brand that creates character skins for popular global video games, inspired by the distinctive patterns and symbolism of Adire textiles. The idea emerged from a simple observation: while gaming is one of the most influential youth culture platforms in the world, African visual representation remains extremely limited. Adire Pixels proposes using digital skins as a cultural gateway. When a player selects an Adire-inspired skin, they are introduced to a short visual story about the heritage of Adire and the work of the Adire Oodua Hub, helping educate a global youth audience about the origins of the textile. Why This Matters Projects like this are exactly why AFWL continues to invest in education and cross-cultural design collaboration. African fabrics are more than a textile. They are history, identity, craftsmanship and economic opportunity. By placing it in the hands of young designers, strategists and innovators, we are helping ensure that its future remains vibrant, relevant and globally recognised. Stay tuned – the Agile and Adire Pixels film premiere will be shown later this year at AFWL2026. www.africanfashionweeklondonuk.com RHS AND LOVE & ROSES COLLABORATE ON A FLORAL FASHION CELEBRATION The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced a collaboration with womenswear fashion brand Love & Roses for the launch of a special 85-piece Love & Roses RHS spring-summer 2026 collection. Balancing heritage inspiration with modern femininity, the collection celebrates florals in all their forms using designs inspired by the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art. The Love & Roses design team were captivated by the intricate detail, colour and storytelling found within the archive. The delicate illustrations, from beautifully structured blooms to playful fruit and vegetable designs, offered a vibrant starting point for the collection’s prints and motifs. These elements were carefully translated onto day dresses, event dresses, jumpsuits, woven tops and jersey tops, shorts, skirts, tailored tops and bottoms, outerwear jackets, denim tops and bottoms and knitwear. The result is a collection that celebrates the beauty of botanical art while giving it new life through contemporary womenswear, honouring the heritage of the RHS archive while creating pieces designed for modern summer dressing. The SS26 collection balances romantic event dressing with effortless daywear. Signature Love & Roses silhouettes are elevated with botanical prints, delicate embroidery and textured details, creating a summer wardrobe designed for garden parties, special occasions and everyday escapism. Flattering sundresses and everyday denim have been given a fresh, graphic take on the heritage garden style, blending bold stripes with intricate floral embroidery. Statement separates offer a contemporary approach to soft summer tailoring, designed with limitless styling possibilities in mind. For effortless dressing, all-over prints are etched onto throw-on summer dresses. The collection also draws on the joys and nostalgia of allotmentinspired motifs, from vibrant cherries and red-hot chilies to ripe tomatoes, appearing across relaxed silhouettes. Whimsical prints and on-trend detailing define this story, bringing a light-hearted charm to summer wardrobes perfect for picnics and sun-filled soirees. Clive Reeve, Love & Roses Head of Creative, says: “A summer wardrobe designed for all occasions, from effortless daytime dressing to special occasions, this collaboration is a tribute both to the horticultural excellence of the RHS and to the colours and joy of spring and summer. We’re thrilled to have worked with the RHS and its fabulous artworks, and even more thrilled at the results.” Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, adds: “Whimsical, romantic and effortlessly stylish, this floral-inspired summer wardrobe captures the spirit of spring and summer in a truly celebratory way.” www.rhs.org.uk 6
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