This year marked a significant milestone for Emmy Kasbit as it celebrates it’s 10th anniversary with an exclusive solo runway event titled “A Decade in Fashion.”
Emmy Kasbit is a sustainable fashion brand led by Creative Director Emmanuel Okoro and co-owned by Chief Executive Officer Daniel Olurin, is basking in the limelight as the undisputed star of this fashion season.
The sustainable brand, founded on January 20, 2014, has spent the last decade crafting a narrative that intertwines heritage, innovation, and the transformative power of fashion.
Known for its signature use of Akwete—a hand-woven textile that resonates with both cultural depth and artisanal craftsmanship—Emmy Kasbit has evolved from a promising young label to an African luxury brand.
The collection from “A Decade in Fashion” is aptly named “RECOLLECTION: An Ode to My Journey Through the Years,” was a tribute to Emmanuel Okoro’s creative voyage.
Emmanuel Okoro spoke about the milestone saying, “For Emmy Kasbit’s 10th year anniversary, I looked through the archive and reimagined signature silhouettes throughout the years. Akwete motifs from different seasons were converted into digital silk prints just to give it a fresh take and also make the pieces more accessible to the global market.”
The event was not only a celebration of the brand’s history but a showcase of its evolution. From fashion industry heavyweights and influential designers to top models and media personalities, the guest list boasted of the brand’s far-reaching influence.
Held as Emmy Kasbit’s first solo runway show, the presentation was both ambitious and heartwarming. “Hosting our first offsite/solo runway show has been a dream, and putting it together wasn’t an easy feat. The team has been planning this since the beginning of the year and, honestly, it was a full-circle moment seeing everyone come out dressed in different Emmy Kasbit pieces from different seasons,” Okoro revealed.
Initially planned for 250 guests, the show’s popularity surpassed all expectations, with over 400 fashion enthusiasts in attendance. It was a sight to behold and proof of the brand’s strong community and resonance within the fashion industry.
The event not only reinforced Emmy Kasbit’s position as a leader in Nigerian fashion but also showcased its commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation.
Over the years, the Emmy Kasbit brand’s core mission—to preserve culture, eradicate poverty, and enhance liberty—has been evident in its design processes and social initiatives. At the heart of this mission is the Emmy Kasbit Initiative, an empowerment platform that employs a team of skilled women who weave the iconic Akwete fabric by hand. This dedication to sustainable practices and empowerment has set the brand apart in an industry often critiqued for its environmental impact.
This year, Emmy Kasbit made waves internationally, showcasing its collection at Fashion Week in Paris. The move to global fashion capitals has expanded the reach of Akwete fabric, sparking conversations about African textiles and their place in luxury fashion.
A decade in fashion marked not just the celebration of a brand’s 10-year journey but the dawn of a new era for Emmy Kasbit—one where the local and the global, the traditional and the innovative, walk hand in hand down the runway. As the fashion world continues to take note, Emmy Kasbit stands proudly at the intersection of heritage and haute couture, poised for even greater achievements in the years to come.
