From his razor-sharp bespoke tailoring and luxury bridal wear to creating red-carpet looks for some of Africa’s biggest stars, Nigerian fashion designer Mai Atafo has built a brand around exclusivity. Now, he is immersed in preparations for a Lagos fashion show coming later this month.
After pulling off an outstanding 90-minute show in Lagos in 2023, that had 800 people sitting front row, with 50 models wearing 83 outfits and walking on six lanes, he plans on outdoing himself this October. “It’s got to be bigger and better.
Naomi Campbell
Having a standout fashion show is on brand for Atafo, who in April 2019 had supermodel Naomi Campbell, a long-time champion of African design, grace his runway during the ARISE Fashion Week show in Lagos.
It came as a surprise to him. Atafo was getting ready for the event when the show’s director told him that Campbell would be walking in his show. “I didn’t have anything made for her,” Atafo recalled.
He hastily rearranged his show, with Campbell opening it. The moment she hit the runway, “the crowd just goes crazy,” Atafo said. For the finale, she walked with Atafo and kissed his cheek. “I’m like, ‘Oh, did I get a kiss too from Naomi Campbell?’ Oh my god!” he added
