Street Souk: a look inside Nigeria’s biggest streetwear convention [@streetsouk]

Street Souk, Nigeria’s biggest streetwear convention, returned last weekend and it was a sight to behold. The event brought together some of the most fashionable and creative individuals from all corners of the country, and the street style was nothing short of extraordinary.

Founded in 2018 by Iretidayo ‘Ireti’ Zaccheaus, Street Souk is an annual fashion convention – held every year the weekend before Christmas – as a platform to showcase and connect Nigeria’s emerging and established streetwear brands. Now in its fifth year, the festival has fast become the premier destination for all things streetwear on the African continent and has succeeded in unifying a previously split-up streetwear community, propelling it to new heights on the global fashion scene.

This year’s edition of Street Souk was held at Harbour Point in Lagos, Nigeria’s cultural capital. Emerging streetwear brands the likes of Cruise Gang and The Apocalypse Project, joined more established ones such as Vivendii, Ashluxe and Roman God, to showcase their latest offerings. Brands like Mowalola, and homegrown cult streetwear brands like WAF, PITH, 5200 Fleece, and Paradice, were all in attendance, making individual cases for the beauty of African streetwear.

The mood was, of course, effervescent, with a mix of uber-modern and Afrocentric designs everywhere. A slew of streetwear brands presented collections that featured hints of diverse cultural references, with sustainability and upcycling being a common thread throughout their pieces. The use of vibrant colours, modern silhouettes and off-the-wall interpretations of African youth culture was also aplenty. 

As expected from a streetwear convention, the attendees showed up and showed out in their unique and stylish outfits, capturing the zeitgeist of the modern African fashion scene. From sporty streetwear and dopamine dressing to edgy urban styles, there was no shortage of inspiration for anyone looking to up their fashion game.

One standout trend at this year’s Street Souk was the kidcore style aesthetic – riffs on childhood nostalgia, cartoons, colourful blobs and lines. This was also reflected in WWYD’s collection at the event. Thriftcore, y2k and retro Nollywood influences were also apparent in attendees’ outfits. Think micro mini denim skirts, low-rise jeans, bold biker-esque wrap sunglasses, baggy shorts paired with fitted tops and more. The art of expressive, rule-bending dressing was definitely at its peak this year.

Scroll on to discover all the noteworthy street style looks that caught our eyes at this year’s Street Souk as captured by Nigerian-based photographers, Abdullahi Ali and Khalid Mosuro.

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