LFW AW25: Tolu Coker

Stepping into the BFC LFW NEWGEN space at 180 Strand always proves to be somewhat of a mystery until passing through the heavily curtained entrance. The space is curated to be fully customizable, contingent upon designer. Due to its flexibility, the venue has the capacity to transport audiences via expanding mediums as they overlap and intertwine between runway and presentation. Tolu Coker delivered us somewhere amid past and future, towing the line between artifact and garment. All said, her newest offerings were nothing short of awe-striking as we witnessed performance, craftsmanship, and community seamlessly come together for AW25. 

The entryway operated, near-portal-like, guests finding themselves immediately engulfed in the atelier as it was offered up. The undulating layers of the event allowed each garment’s consumption, all the while absorbing guests right back. Creating a dialogue between audience and presentation. The collection was curated via reflections of Yoruba spirituality and its “diasporic migration” as either posed to present strings of connection between what we’ve known and where we’re going. The collection draws on inspiration from "Alaura churches from Lagos to London, the ceremonial dress of Candomblé, Lucumí, and Santería across Brazil and Cuba, and the ritual attire of Black spiritual traditions in Louisiana and Haiti" as they intersect with "classic European tailoring". I’m particularly fond of presentation style events as they allow a version of world building often stifled within the fleeting timelines of the runway. 

Garments were decadent and gripping, composed of sustainability focused materials like upcycled textiles, deadstock leathers, and reclaimed satin. These thoughtfully included elements converged with the brand’s signature denim pieces like their houndstooth jacquards. We see a reinterpretation of previous collections, presenting a further internal view at Coker’s focus on quality and legacy. The garments, while situated within painstaking craftsmanship, also present nuanced takes on classics like exaggerated round flat collars and open backs. All the while, accompanying corset detail and updated takes on previously popularised bubble skirts were witnessed throughout. Colourways were rich and velvety, leaning into deep reds and greens to complement classic neutral tones. 

The garments could be seen on display across the venue, models traipsing past guests and gently perched on platforms as they swayed in collective unison, surrounding the live band. The expression of the models presented something of a mutual knowingness. As if they looked at the guests and said, “I know you see me, I see you too”. Despite a lack of words exchanged, passion was felt as it transpired via intentionality imbued into each garment. A lookbook shoot occurred simultaneously as a central room was opened to those who wished to see a more interior look at the designer’s practise. Guests were encouraged to walk through what presented as a sneak peek into the Coker’s workspace, patterns cut and garments sewn, real time. 

Tolu Coker presents us the notion - that garments are not merely to be consumed and displayed but rather embraced as forms of ancestral relationships, as modern artefacts. The brand insists that true sustainability does not merely lie in the best practices utilised in their inception, but also the way we view the clothes generally. Not just items to be used until we grow tired of their lustre, but rather, connective tissue to past versions of ourselves as they inform new ideas about a renewed future. Truly contesting our culture’s affliction of overconsumption and concurrent woes of fast fashion - these works beg us to deepen our understanding of self reflection. Coker compels us to gaze upon the mirror and see where we overlap memory, and how our daily dress could become ritual. 

Cultural significance and community come into play with this collection as it was clear, members of the audience couldn’t help but feel they were part of something, something with unique starpower. As a renowned revolutionary in the fashion scene, Tolu Coker has stated that, “Clothes are not simply garments - they are archives of memory, carriers of culture, and markers of identity. To wear is to honour the past, embrace the present, and shape the future”. Walking around the venue was surreal, audience members finding themselves encased in live soundscapes - diligently curated and otherworldly. These rhythmic modes of communication composed by Grammy-winning producer Gaetan Judd, continued the dialogue, presenting the understanding that music is both “vessel and transporter of memory”. 

This season’s offerings were nothing less than a masterpiece, creating avenues to understand the overlaps between culture, community, past, and present. This collection distills the understanding that all situate within the simple choices we make daily, as we parse through our own collections at home. A true powerhouse in the industry, Tolu Coker effortlessly blends storytelling with fashion, expressing that there is much more than meets the eye - you just have to be willing to go searching for it.