The AMVCA’s are the biggest night of the year for African film and TV, but that’s not all the awards are known for. Popularly dubbed the African Met Gala, the AMVCA’s are often a chance for African celebrities and designers to show off their creativity, and they did not disappoint. The theme for the 12th edition was ‘Honouring Craft, Celebrating Culture,’ and the best-dressed looks of the night understood the assignment. However, there were some attendees that, while creative, didn’t quite stick the landing with their outfits. Whether you loved or hated the fashion at the AMVCA’s no one can deny that the looks were memorable.
Osas Ighodaro in Veekee James
It’s impossible to compile a list of best outfits at any high stakes Nigerian event and not mention Veekee James. This year, the designer made two custom dresses for Osas Ighodaro, both of which were absolute showstoppers. Veekee James is known for her creativity which shone in Osas’s second look, which was constructed with 400 iron sponges. The halter top dress featured a structured corset made of deconstructed sponges that flowed into an endless train with more sponges added as embellishments.
Nomzamo Mbatha in House of Dova
As the host of the AMVCA’s Nomzamo Mbatha’s outfit choice was critical. That is why she decided to stun in five unique looks, each of which showcased various styles and creativity. Her dress from House of Dova was a standout to many viewers. In an ode to the city of Lagos, Nomzamo stunned in a metallic, structured dress with the entire bottom half consisting of a custom circuit board made by the designer. Every inch of this dress was intentional and a closer look at any part revealed more intricate details.
Chioma Ikokwu in Amy Aghomi
Chioma Ikokwu couldn't attend the AMVCA’s this year due to health reasons, but that didn’t stop her from presenting not one or two but three jaw dropping looks in honor of the event. Each of her looks told a story of its own with the three coming together to nail the theme of the event . Two of her three looks were designed by Weiz Dhurm Franklyn, the visionary womenswear brand and, as always WDF did not disappoint. Chioma’s final look was an interpretation of this year’s Met Gala theme and features a carved wood bodice- complete with spiky tree branches- hand-stoned Swarovski crystal detailing. The dress was ethereal, displaying the perfect fusion of craft and culture.
Nana Akua Addo in Abbas Woman
Another star with three looks was Nana Akua Addo who displayed designs by Abbas Woman and Srushti Patil. Of her three looks, the uncontested showstopper was the Cathedral dress. Inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Nana stepped out wearing an entire building and grabbed every single eye in the room. The piece was hand-painted by visual artist Ifechukwu Gerald who brought the design to life and Nana sold the look with her signature elegance.
Steve Chuks in Kadiclo
Menswear on red carpets is often overlooked for being boring as we’ve seen countless men step out in classic suits and tuxedos. Thankfully, this isn’t the case when it comes to African menswear. There were many male stars that didn’t hold back this year with Deji & Kola designing for a good number of them. However, Steve Chuks’ simple yet striking outfit by Kadiclo made a statement. The androgynous silhouette paired the elements of a classic suit with flowy panels that had Steve looking both regal and dapper.
While the award theme called for creativity, some designers flew too close to the sun with their concepts. These designs were still creative and showcased innovation but missed the mark when it came to execution.
Mercy Atang in Elegante by Tiannah Styling
One of the most talked about looks from the AMVCA’s was Mercy Atang’s bread dress. Inspired by her own bakery business, Swit Cakes and Desserts, Queen Mercy stepped out in a dress made of 500 loaves of real bread designed by Tiannah Empire. While the innovation was clear and the creativity of incorporating her business into her look is commendable, this dress failed at execution. Visually, it was more confusing than appealing and, as the night wore on, it lost its structural integrity with loaves of bread falling off. People have also called out Queen Mercy and Tiannah for how wasteful the design was, considering the state of the country.
Eniola Ajao in Tiannah Empire
Unfortunately, Tiannah was two for two with poorly executed designs as her look for Eniola Ajao which featured yellow balloons. The vision was clear but once again the design was ruined by the details. Balloon or ball dresses have been done before, but this one failed to live up to its predecessors. A closer look at the outfit showed some poor tailoring such as in the sleeves and quite a few of the balloons didn’t make it to the end of the night.
Bisola Aiyeola in Somo by Somo
When it comes to fashion, sometimes a look can be gorgeous but have a single element ruin it. This was the case with Bisola Aiyeola’s Somo by Somo dress. The concept of the dress was lovely with its broad, dramatic shoulders and long sleeves, but those elements which were meant to elevate it were what caused it to fall short. The fit on the dress wasn't perfect and the chosen material did not pair well with the corset stoning at the torso which resulted in a clunky look.
Liquorose in Prudential Atelier
Liquorose is no stranger to a statement dress, and she didn’t disappoint at the AMVCA’s. Her dress by Prudential Atelier was a nude bodycon dress with white detailing that flowed over the bodice like elegant scribbles. The bottom was a puffy, white mermaid design that added some extra drama to the piece. The dress was supposed to have a nude illusion which unfortunately wasn’t a perfect match to Roseline’s tone. Roseline still looked lovely but some tweaks could have taken her over the finish line.
Mimie in Shasha Designs
Mimie’s dress was made by Shasha Designs using the feathers of over 37 black chickens. The result was a gothic statement piece titled ‘The Force of Nature.’ The piece aimed to pay respect to the theme of craftsmanship, but it was that craftsmanship that got lost in the details. Feathers are often a hit or miss in fashion as they can be hard to work with and can toe the line into cartoonishness if not used properly. Mimie’s dress had a lot of vision but some of it got lost in translation.
Despite every designer not meeting the mark, the night was a huge success for African fashion and proved once again that African designers do it best.