The Ankara Festival, which has celebrated African fashion and culture in Los Angeles for 16 years, is expanding to Nigeria, with Lagos as its first African hub. Organizers aim to bridge the diaspora and the continent through a multidisciplinary platform highlighting fashion, music, art, and hospitality. The event, founded in 2010, initially focused on Nigerian designers before broadening its scope to include creatives from across Africa, according to Peter Efezokhae, convener of the festival in Los Angeles. "We started with Nigerian designers, then opened it up to other African designers," Efezokhae said at a press conference ahead of the Lagos edition, emphasizing the festival’s evolving mission.",
Efezokhae explained that the festival’s original goal was to counter the limited visibility of African culture in Los Angeles and Hollywood, where African fashion and music were largely overlooked when the event began. "At that time, African fashion wasn’t popular where we are in Los Angeles and in Hollywood," he noted. Over the years, African fashion and music have gained global traction, prompting organizers to shift their focus back to the continent. "I think it’s important for us to now bring it back home where everything started," Efezokhae added.
The Lagos edition, scheduled for 2024, will extend beyond traditional fashion shows to include music, food, art, interior design, and hospitality. Laura Udoh, co-convener of the festival, highlighted the event’s role in fostering connections among creatives and businesses. "Aside from the fashion show, the food, the culture, and the place would form part of the experience," she said, stressing the importance of music, networking, and business opportunities. Isi Atagamen, another co-convener, emphasized the festival’s broader vision: "We want a space where the art and hospitality industry can come together," she said, aiming to create a hub for cross-sector collaboration.
The expansion into Nigeria is part of a larger strategy to position the festival as a cultural bridge between African creatives and the diaspora. Atagamen noted that the Lagos platform will provide visibility for West African talent among audiences and industry players in Los Angeles and beyond. The festival also seeks to redefine the perception of Ankara fabric, which has transcended its traditional role as a textile to become a symbol of cultural expression. "We believe culture stays alive when people continue to use it, question it, reinterpret it, and make something new from it," Efezokhae said, underscoring the event’s commitment to dynamic cultural engagement.
Efezokhae’s motivation for founding the festival in the early 2000s stemmed from a desire to counter negative narratives about Nigeria in the diaspora, which often focused on issues like fraud and poverty. "We can’t change everything, but we start in our own little way," he said. Over the past 16 years, the Los Angeles festival has featured designers from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana, attracting Hollywood celebrities and media attention. The Lagos edition marks the next phase of the festival’s journey, with organizers planning to eventually expand to other African markets and deepen connections with the global diaspora.
The festival’s organizers stress that their ambition extends beyond annual events. They aim to create a platform that documents cultural stories, supports creative industries, and encourages reinterpretations of African heritage. "We’re not interested in preserving culture by putting it behind glass," Efezokhae said. Instead, the festival seeks to celebrate the living, evolving nature of African culture through innovation and collaboration. As the Lagos event approaches, the Ankara Festival’s return to Nigeria signals a renewed commitment to fostering cultural dialogue and economic opportunities across the continent.
Ankara Festival Returns to Nigeria After 16 Years in Diaspora
The Ankara Festival, which has celebrated African fashion and culture in Los Angeles for 16 years, is expanding to Nigeria, with Lagos as its first African hub. Organizers aim to bridge the diaspora and the continent through a multidisciplinary platform highlighting fashion, music, art, and hospitality. The event, founded in 2010, initially focused on Nigerian designers before broadening its scope to include creatives from across Africa, according to Peter Efezokhae, convener of the festival in Los Angeles. "We started with Nigerian designers, then opened it up to other African designers," Efezokhae said at a press conference ahead of the Lagos edition, emphasizing the festival’s evolving mission.
Efezokhae explained that the festival’s original goal was to counter the limited visibility of African culture in Los Angeles and Hollywood, where African fashion and music were largely overlooked when the event began. "At that time, African fashion wasn’t popular where we are in Los Angeles and in Hollywood," he noted. Over the years, African fashion and music have gained global traction, prompting organizers to shift their focus back to the continent. "I think it’s important for us to now bring it back home where everything started," Efezokhae added.
The Lagos edition, scheduled for 2024, will extend beyond traditional fashion shows to include music, food, art, interior design, and hospitality. Laura Udoh, co-convener of the festival, highlighted the event’s role in fostering connections among creatives and businesses. "Aside from the fashion show, the food, the culture, and the place would form part of the experience," she said, stressing the importance of music, networking, and business opportunities. Isi Atagamen, another co-convener, emphasized the festival’s broader vision: "We want a space where the art and hospitality industry can come together," she said, aiming to create a hub for cross-sector collaboration.
The expansion into Nigeria is part of a larger strategy to position the festival as a cultural bridge between African creatives and the diaspora. Atagamen noted that the Lagos platform will provide visibility for West African talent among audiences and industry players in Los Angeles and beyond. The festival also seeks to redefine the perception of Ankara fabric, which has transcended its traditional role as a textile to become a symbol of cultural expression. "We believe culture stays alive when people continue to use it, question it, reinterpret it, and make something new from it," Efezokhae said, underscoring the event’s commitment to dynamic cultural engagement.
Efezokhae’s motivation for founding the festival in the early 2000s stemmed from a desire to counter negative narratives about Nigeria in the diaspora, which often focused on issues like fraud and poverty. "We can’t change everything, but we start in our own little way," he said. Over the past 16 years, the Los Angeles festival has featured designers from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana, attracting Hollywood celebrities and media attention. The Lagos edition marks the next phase of the festival’s journey, with organizers planning to eventually expand to other African markets and deepen connections with the global diaspora.
The festival’s organizers stress that their ambition extends beyond annual events. They aim to create a platform that documents cultural stories, supports creative industries, and encourages reinterpretations of African heritage. "We’re not interested in preserving culture by putting it behind glass," Efezokhae said. Instead, the festival seeks to celebrate the living, evolving nature of African culture through innovation and collaboration. As the Lagos event approaches, the Ankara Festival’s return to Nigeria signals a renewed commitment to fostering cultural dialogue and economic opportunities across the continent.