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 AMVCAs are often a chance for African celebrities and designers to show off their creativity, and they certainly made a strong impression again this year. The theme for the 12th edition was ‘Honouring Craft, Celebrating Culture,’ and, whether they hit the mark or not, the looks generated a lot of conversation. While some looks were universally praised, there were, however, some attendees who, while interpreting the theme in an interesting way, didn’t quite stick the landing. Whether you loved or hated the fashion at the AMVCAs this year, no one can deny that the looks were memorable.
Osas Ighodaro in Veekee James
It’s impossible to compile a list of most memorable 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 definitely attention-grabbing. Veekee James is known for her bold designs, which literally shone in Osas’s second look, which was constructed with 400 steel wool sponges. The dress featured a corset made of deconstructed sponges that flowed into an endless train with more sponges added as embellishments, but the question remains – why? How does this look reflect craft or culture, and does the sheer number of sponges and the effort made qualify as creativity or craft? The look is certainly memorable, but perhaps not for the right reasons.
Nomzamo Mbatha in House of Dova
As the host of the AMVCA’s Nomzamo Mbatha’s outfit choice was critical. Perhaps that is why she decided to appear in five unique looks, each of which showcased various interpretations of the theme of craftsmanship but perhaps lacked creativity in the choice of silhouettes. Her dress from House of Dova was a standout to many viewers, but the other four shared similar shapes. In an ode to the city of Lagos, Nomzamo’s posed in a metallic, form-fitted dress with the entire bottom half covered in what looks like circuitry and computer parts. Every inch of this dress was intentional, and a closer look at any part revealed more intricate details, but to what end? The look was posted to Instagram with the caption “Sustainable fashion. Sustainable Glamour.” but fails to communicate this, especially when it is one of five looks, and that in itself is not exactly a sustainable choice.
Chioma Ikokwu in Amy Aghomi
Chioma Ikokwu couldn't attend the AMVCAs this year due to health reasons, but that didn’t stop her from presenting not one, not two, but three looks in honour of the event. The idea was that each told a story of its own with names like The Sun Goddess and Blue Phoenix. Two of her three looks were designed by Weiz Dhurm Franklyn, the visionary womenswear brand. While WDF arguably created beautifully crafted looks, the theme is also about celebrating culture and Chioma’s final look was an interpretation of this year’s Met Gala theme, which was a confusing choice considering that the AMVCAs had their own theme. The dress featured a carved wooden piece worn over the bodice and hips of a silver gown, which, while eye-catching, came off more like a gimmick over a dress style we’ve seen done before in bridal fashion.
Nana Akua Adoo in Abbas Woman
Another star with three looks was Nana Akua Addo, who wore designs by Abbas Woman and Srushti Patil. Though saying her dress was ‘designed by’ Abbas Woman is debatable, as accusations of copying have come from Cambodian design house Almée Couture. The designer, Taing Sokhang, claims that Nana’s most memorable look of the night, a dress designed to resemble a cathedral, was derived from sketches and designs that they had made for Nana when they were initially contracted to create the look. Nana claimed that the original idea was hers and credited Abbas Woman as the designers of the final look. That aside, the brand explained that the dress was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, which raises the question of why a dress inspired by a German cathedral was chosen for an event celebrating African culture and creativity. The piece was hand-painted by visual artist Ifechukwu Gerald, who did a phenomenal job, but the controversies surrounding the piece have overshadowed the good work put into it.
Steve Chuks in Kadiclo
Menswear on red carpets is often overlooked for being somewhat boring, as we’ve seen countless men step out in classic suits and tuxedos. Thankfully, this isn’t always the case when it comes to African menswear. Many male attendees didn’t hold back this year, with several seen in interesting looks from Deji & Kola and AMA. However, Steve Chuks’ deceptively 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.
Mercy Atang in Elegante by Tiannah Styling
One of the most talked about looks from the AMVCAs was Mercy Atang’s bread dress. Inspired by her own bakery business, Swit Cakes and Desserts, Queen Mercy stepped out in a dress designed by Tiannah Empire made with 500 loaves of real bread. While daring in concept and the inspiration of incorporating her business into her look is commendable, this dress almost inevitably failed upon 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 the garment. People have also called out Queen Mercy and Tiannah for how wasteful the design was, especially considering the state of the country.
Eniola Ajao in Elegante by Tiannah Styling
Unfortunately, Tiannah was two for two with poorly executed designs, as her look for Eniola Ajao, which featured yellow balloons, fell flat, almost literally. There might have been a vision with this piece, but once again, whatever that might have been was not apparent. Balloon dresses or dresses that pull inspiration from other spherical shapes have been done before, a recent example being Eileen Gu’s bubble dress at the 2026 MET Gala, which remained flattering in construction. 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 look gorgeous on paper but in reality be ruined by poor execution. 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 of the dress wasn't great, and the chosen material did not work well with the heavy embellishments beneath the bust, resulting in a clunky, unflattering look.
Liquorose in Prudential Atelier
Liquorose is no stranger to a statement dress, and her AMVCAs look was no exception. Her dress by Prudential Atelier was a mermaid silhouette dress with white detailing that flowed over the bodice like vines, and a puffy, white bottom added some more drama to the look. It seems that the dress was supposed to have a nude illusion, but the bodice wasn’t a perfect match to Roseline’s skin tone, causing the effect to fail. She still looked lovely, but the intention of the look was lost, and the result was more tacky than elegant.
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 whatever craftsmanship there may have been got lost in the details. Feathers are a classic accent in high fashion, but they can be hard to work with and cross the line into cartoonishness if not used properly. Mimie’s dress may have had a vision behind it, but it got lost in this dark, heavy looking creation.
With not every designer not meeting the mark, maybe the kindest thing we can say is that everyone was so creative!