Lately, Lagos served up fashion with the kind of daring energy that made every appearance worth a second look. At the center of the week’s style calendar was Bella Naija, which marked its 20th anniversary with the Grand Red Carpet Experience, themed “High Fashion Icon.” The celebration brought together personalities from across Nigeria’s creative and business landscape for an evening where fashion carried as much weight as the occasion itself. The red carpet became a showcase of couture, cultural references, and expressive styling, with guests interpreting the theme through everything from dramatic tailoring to elaborate Nigerian occasion wear.
Across the standout looks, designers, stylists, and celebrities pushed high fashion in different directions. The strongest appearances did not rely on extravagance alone; they used color, texture, accessories, proportion, and styling to create a distinct point of view. That energy extended beyond the Bella Naija red carpet.
From elaborate occasion dressing to street style and birthday fashion, Nigerian celebrities approached glamour with an adventurous eye, mixing traditional textiles with contemporary tailoring and unexpected accessories. Some looks leaned into grandeur, others embraced playful experimentation, while several transformed familiar wardrobe staples into something considerably more directional. Together, the week’s fashion moments offered a lively snapshot of Nigerian style at its most imaginative, where personality, craftsmanship, and cultural identity could share the same frame.
From the Bella Naija High Fashion Icon red carpet to other events around the city, check out the standout looks spotted on Nigerian style stars…
#1. Rita Dominic
Rita Dominic delivered a striking take on high-fashion glamour in a custom two-piece that transformed rich teal into a dramatic couture statement. The avant-garde look centered on an exaggerated wing collar that arched across the shoulders like an architectural cape, while the fitted corset bodice transitioned into a sharply defined peplum with clean hip cutouts that accentuated the hourglass silhouette. Intricate silver and ice-blue beadwork traced the bust and centre of the bodice in symmetrical leaf-like patterns, catching the light against the deep teal fabric.
The sculpted top flowed into a floor-length mermaid skirt that flared into a sweeping train, adding drama to the rich satin or mikado-like finish. She kept the accessories restrained with a silver rhinestone clutch, matching drop earrings and a metallic bracelet, allowing the dramatic collar, icy embellishment and sculpted silhouette to remain the focus.
#2. Mercy Eke
At the BellaNaija High Fashion Icon celebration, Mercy Eke turned icy glamour into a striking couture statement in a custom Amy Aghomi coat-gown. The fitted silhouette was framed by dramatic bell sleeves and an exaggerated funnel collar, giving the piece a commanding presence before the color story even came into focus.
Cobalt, azure, and black velvet panels formed a graphic patchwork across the garment, with raised white pearl piping tracing each section like delicate borders. At the chest, a crystal-encrusted ice-blue heart introduced another layer of sparkle without interrupting the bold color story. Matching cobalt pumps with crystal buckles brought the ensemble together, echoing the gown’s jewel-like finish from head to toe.
#3. Bukunmi “KieKie” Adeaga-Ilori
KieKie brought Nigerian heritage into the language of high-fashion tailoring. Her burgundy-and-gold coat dress drew inspiration from traditional attire, translating its richness through ornate brocade patterns, padded shoulders, and a fitted corset that shaped the silhouette.
The coat opened into a dramatic high-low train over a burgundy velvet mini dress, while a beaded collar framed the neckline like jewelry. Her headwear was a stylized, plush burgundy velvet interpretation of a traditional Yoruba Fila, sculpted into a structured, beret-like crown that added vintage, military-inspired authority to the otherwise polished silhouette. Oversized gold cuffs, cat-eye sunglasses, and metallic heels pushed the ensemble further into statement territory.
#4. Chioma Ikokwu
Chioma Ikokwu leaned fully into high-glamour couture in an elaborate silver gown covered in shimmering beadwork and sequins. The fitted halter bodice opened into an exaggerated folded detail at the hip, creating a dramatic focal point before the embellishment cascaded through the sheer lower section.
Gold and bronze accents warmed the otherwise cool metallic palette, while a high slit introduced contrast against the heavily embellished surface. An egg-shaped silver clutch, diamond earrings, and clear heels kept the accessories in conversation with the gown without competing for attention. The overall effect landed somewhere between couture eveningwear and wearable art.
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#5. Nelly Mbonu
Nelly Mbonu took inspiration from the natural world for the Green October Event, appearing in a deep forest-green velvet gown that brought botanical drama to the occasion. The fitted bodice featured corset detailing and an asymmetric neckline, while leaf-like forms extended dramatically from the hips, turning the silhouette into a study in nature-inspired volume.
The matching oversized leaf-shaped hat became the defining element. Sweeping across the face, it gave the ensemble an almost fantastical quality while reinforcing the botanical theme. Minimal jewelry was the right counterpoint, allowing the rich velvet and elaborate headpiece to hold the visual focus.
#6. Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele embraced the grandeur of Owambe dressing in a lavish gold and burgundy bubu crafted from damask silk sequin fabric. Ornate metallic motifs covered the base, creating a rich surface that caught the light with every movement. Cascading burgundy pleated ruffles framed the cape sleeves and floor-length hem, giving the traditional silhouette an extravagant finish.
Her striking gele echoed those pleats in an elaborate fan-like arrangement, creating a strong visual connection between the headwrap and garment. A crystal choker and matching earrings completed the ensemble, reinforcing its regal character without taking attention away from the textile work.
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#7. Beauty Tukura
Beauty Tukura took an all-black approach to high fashion at the Bella Naija High Fashion Icon event, letting intricate detailing and contrasting textures create the drama. Her velvet mini dress was covered in winding gold and crystal beadwork and layered over a sheer high-neck top, creating depth without relying on color.
An oversized embellished jacket amplified the proportions, while sheer black leggings with leaf-like details traced with shimmering embellishments added a dose of edge. The monochromatic palette gave the gold details room to shine, turning what could have been a simple black ensemble into something considerably more elaborate.
#8. Tolu Bally
For her birthday shoot, Tolu Bally gave denim a distinctly high-fashion treatment through a dark-wash co-ord set. The jacket combined rolled sleeves with pronounced tan topstitching and intricate gold embroidery along one side, adding artisanal detail to an otherwise familiar fabric.
A white cropped top broke up the darker palette, while wide-leg culottes continued the denim story through curved panels in contrasting washes. Embellished black cage heels sharpened the silhouette, while oversized cream earrings, a gold watch, and layered bracelets added a touch of glamour. The styling showed how denim can move far beyond casual dressing when cut, proportion, and embellishment take center stage.
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#9. Bolaji Ogunmola
Bolaji Ogunmola created contrast through proportion, pairing a fitted black blouse with dramatically voluminous chocolate brown trousers. The blouse featured intricate black appliqués that created a richly textured surface, while the high-waisted trousers expanded into a rounded, balloon-like silhouette before narrowing at the ankles.
A black crocodile Birkin bag with gold hardware reinforced the luxurious tone, while black pumps grounded the wide trousers. Oval sunglasses and gold studs completed the ensemble with a restrained finish, allowing the unusual proportions and rich brown color to remain the main attraction.
#10. Liquorose Afije
Liquorose Afije approached the Bella Naija High Fashion Icon theme from a more rebellious angle in a custom Komeh Swish deconstructed suit gown. The design deliberately split the silhouette in two: one side delivered the authority of a black blazer with a structured power shoulder, while the other revealed a white camisole bodice.
Below, a black skirt climbed into a daring high-low hem before falling into a long train, giving the tailoring a distinctly eveningwear finish. Then came the unexpected accessory: a Yankees cap that interrupted the formality with a streetwear note. Pearl earrings, layered bracelets, and pointed heels completed an ensemble that treated traditional red-carpet dressing as something to be pulled apart and reassembled.
Lagos Lately: See the Pretty Looks Spotted on Nigerian Style Stars
