In their maiden edition of 2023 Europe Day Afro-Euro Runway fashion, the European Union (EU) chose to sponsor a talented young Nigerian fashion designer, Oyindamola Aleshinloye, to participate in this year’s Madrid Fashion Week, scheduled for September. Aleshinloye earned this opportunity by winning the 2023 Europe Day Afro-Euro Runway fashion show held in Abuja over the weekend.
Out of 124 young Nigerian designers who submitted their entries, Aleshinloye emerged as the victor, surpassing six other finalists. The judges based their decision on five key aspects: the interpretation of Afro-Euro fusion, creativity, execution, cohesiveness and presentation, and storytelling.
Among the other participants, Samira Mohammed (a.k.a Sultana) secured second place, Oluchi George (a.k.a Malite) came in third, and Happiness Miwori (a.k.a Jasmineafrik) claimed the fourth spot. Each runner-up received different prizes.
Ms. Samuela Isopi, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and West Africa, emphasized that the Afro-Euro initiative aims to identify and support emerging talents. She highlighted the importance of culture and innovation within the fashion industry and noted that 2023 has been designated as the European year of skills, emphasizing the need for skill development and innovation among young people in the fashion sector.
