At this year’s Afro Fashion Show UK, Koil Creations, led by designer Oluwaseun Lawrence Kuforiji, delivered one of the evening’s most memorable runway moments. While the show featured a diverse lineup of designers celebrating African creativity, Kuforiji’s presentation stood out for its quiet confidence and craftsmanship. His pieces were not loud statements; they were deliberate compositions, rooted in culture yet aware of contemporary aesthetics.

Traditional made fabrics were cut into modern silhouettes, producing garments that felt both nostalgic and current. Models walked in custom-made designs that reflected meticulous attention to detail. Each look carried a rhythm, an understated sophistication that commanded attention without demanding it.

What set Koil Creations apart was its understanding of narrative, using black clothings to tell stories of lineage and pride, but they also explore how African fashion can exist in a global space without losing authenticity. The styling, minimal yet intentional, allowed the garments to speak for themselves. Every piece was wearable, yet rich in symbolism, bridging generations of craft with a modern designer’s discipline.

The use of black color was particularly intentional and effective. Earth tones grounded the collection, while vibrant hues added life and contrast. Patterns conversed rather than competed, revealing an eye for harmony and proportion. The movement of the fabrics on the runway revealed their quality, light, breathable, and tailored with precision.

If there’s a space for further exploration, it may be in pushing silhouettes towards bolder experimentation, perhaps layering or introducing sculptural accessories to heighten drama. Still, Kuforiji’s restraint reads as intentional; his work prioritizes form, finish, and cultural clarity over spectacle.

In a showcase often dominated by glamour and noise, Koil Creations presented elegance with substance. He reminded the audience that African fashion’s strength lies not only in its colors or fabrics, but in the meaning sewn into every seam. His contribution at Afro Fashion Show UK was less about fashion-as-display and more about fashion-as-identity, and in that, he succeeded brilliantly.