Nigerian-born Omoyemi Akerele is the founder and CEO of Lagos Fashion Week and Style House Files. She has worked in the international fashion industry for more than two decades and is credited for contributing to the acceleration of the African creative economy. Her work is focused on delivering long-term solutions within the African textile and apparel ecosystem by empowering brands, creative businesses and communities with opportunities for growth.
Her commitment to nurturing, developing and promoting the African fashion industry led to the establishment of the annual Lagos Fashion Week, a multi-day platform that presents African designers in Nigeria and beyond. Lagos Fashion Week has also expanded its scope of work, providing advocacy for the industry with government and investors, offering industry master classes and incubation support for emerging talent and supporting all parts of the fashion industry value-chain to achieve their full potential. Through initiatives like SHF Trains, Woven Threads and Green Access, the African apparel industry is strengthened with socio-economic and environmentally sustainable business opportunities.
Experienced, renowned creative economy change agent and social entrepreneur with over 20 years of notable achievements in the areas of youth development, job creation, circular fashion development, showcasing and discovering talent and creating access to the market globally for Africa’s evolving textile and apparel industry while working with multilateral agencies like United Nations agencies – UNIDO, She Trades and UNESCO; not for profit agencies like British Council, British Fashion Council, Best Seller Foundation; public sector agencies like Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Industrial Trust Fund, Nigerian Employers Consultative Association and private sector companies MTN and Heineken.