A quick history lesson: Few places in Berlin embody the futuristic optimism of the 1970s quite like the International Congress Centrum (ICC). Opened in 1979, the silver megastructure, built to hold up to 20,000 people, still feels like a relic of a future that never quite arrived. Against that backdrop, Nigerian designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal unveiled Orange Culture’s spring 2027 collection, Water Will Carry Us: 24 looks awash in saturated colour, sheer layers, and uncompromising craft.
This season, Oke-Lawal turned to Makoko, the historic fishing community on the edge of the Lagos Lagoon, for inspiration. “Makoko is often called the ‘Venice of Lagos,’ but that phrase carries such contradiction, beauty, and hardship held together,” he said. Founded by Egun fishermen in the 19th century, Makoko remains defined by its stilt houses, wooden walkways, and canoes, where water serves as both livelihood and infrastructure.
Some references were literal, others quietly embedded: an abstract print of a lone figure crossing the water appeared across shirts and blouses, while a ruched top echoed an aerial view of Makoko’s waterways. Voluminous crochet tops, built from thousands of tiny loops and finished with tonal pom-poms, transformed fishing loops into exuberant texture, paired with sharply tailored trousers. Asymmetrical layering recalled the settlement’s irregular architecture, while sheer fabrics introduced a subtle tension between protection and exposure.
Orange Culture has never believed in muted color. Yellow arrived as blazing sunshine, red as ripe tomato, blue somewhere between cobalt and royal, and violet in its purest intensity. Clean-lined organza sets shimmered with beadwork that flickered like fireflies. Craft remained the collection’s backbone: handwoven Aso Oke became contemporary polo shirts, while guinea cloth—traditionally reserved for ceremonial dress—was reimagined as lightweight outerwear. The result was a dialogue Oke-Lawal described as keeping heritage alive rather than fixed. Locally sourced cotton, lace, organza, and meticulous hand-finishing carried traditional textile techniques into a contemporary wardrobe.
Collaboration remained integral. Eki Ogunbor of Kisara designed Orange Culture’s debut handbag, inspired by the canoes of Makoko; Crochet Goodie developed the crochet, Paolo Sisiano created the Makoko Fisherman print, and Berlin-based Stella Owusu of In Jewels designed the jewelry.
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