What does it mean to create fashion with the future in mind? At Lagos Fashion Week 2026, the Irapada Circular Design Initiative offered a practical answer through a presentation that placed reuse, resourcefulness and responsible production at the centre of the runway conversation.
Irapada, meaning redemption, brings attention to the possibilities of giving materials and garments a new life rather than allowing them to become waste. The initiative brought together work from designers including Hertunba, IAMISIGO, Ajanée and Éki Kéré, demonstrating how different creative perspectives can contribute to a more circular fashion system.
The presentation was particularly significant within this year’s theme, CRAFTED: Heritage. Innovation. Circular Futures., as it moved the conversation beyond the finished garment to consider the processes and decisions behind its creation. Through the initiative, Lagos Fashion Week continues to encourage designers to rethink how fashion is made, what materials are used and how the life of a garment can be extended. It was a reminder that innovation does not always mean starting from scratch; sometimes, it means finding new possibilities in what already exists.
