Tokyo James Brings Milan Fashion Week to Lagos
Ahead of his Autumn/Winter 2025 runway show on Thursday, the British-Nigerian designer tells us why he's leaving Milan and exploring other European fashion weeks.
Welcome back to Africa Reimagined! Fashion month is in full swing and by the time you’re reading this, we’re three days into Milan Fashion Week. As usual, several European heavyweight brands dominate the schedule including luxury giants such as Gucci, Ferragamo and Fendi. Among the big names, there are a handful of emerging designers who, I think, bring an air of excitement and creativity to the Italian city.
One of those brands is British-Nigerian designer Tokyo James, who has been showing on the official Milan Fashion Week schedule for the past five years. He is one of the few Black designers to show on the official schedule, which is a huge testament to the brand’s strength and resilience. Black and POC creatives have spoken openly about the racism they’ve faced during fashion week, and Milan-based collectives such as WAMI are fighting for racial equity. For the past few years, WAMI and the Afro Fashion Association have been spearheading the conversation and dominating headlines. (See: Stella Jean, WAMI’s co-founder, went on hunger strike ahead of MFW in 2023.)
For James, this season marks a turning point for his eponymous label as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. The brand, which was born in Lagos, Nigeria, has showcased in Cape Town, London, Lagos and, of course, Milan. However, it’s time for a change. “Milan is hard… It’s a place you go when you are huge as a brand. If you’re not a huge brand, there’s no need to be in Milan,” James said, adding that the brand’s “very Milanese” aesthetic initially drew him to the city. As he describes it: “[Sharp] tailoring with a little bit of drama.”
Despite his history in Milan, the racism and unfavourable political environment are pushing him to consider alternative cities, with Lagos being the first stop on his list. To celebrate 10 years in the business, James is returning to Lagos, where it all began. His show, titled ‘Midnight’, is on the official calendar and will be live-streamed from Victoria Island in Lagos on Thursday. It’s an interesting move, and I wonder whether the Milan crowd will show interest in his collection, given the increased distance. To that, James laughs: “They’re going to stream it at the Duomo, so hey... Probably not, but I don’t care.”
What’s inside:
Unpacking why the brand is returning to Lagos and how it plans to win over Nigerian consumers.
Milan vs Lagos: James breaks down the opportunities and challenges of each market.
If not Milan, then where? Now that James is planning to show in other cities, we explore where the brand might showcase next.
It’s another good one this week. James and I had a very long conversation, and could have dissected the Milan/Lagos fashion industry for hours, but James had a collection to finish and a show to prepare for.
Let’s dive in!