When Adebunmi Afekhare founded Fassy_Couture in 2017, it was not just another regular business, she was carving out a space where African women could see their confidence, elegance, and heritage reflected in fashion. What began in Lagos as a small dream to create bespoke and custom womenswear has, eight years later, blossomed into an international brand now based in the United Kingdom.
“The vision from the start was to make women feel elegant and stylish, while celebrating African culture,” she says. Today, that vision has evolved into a powerful fusion of African heritage and contemporary design, giving Fassy_Couture its global appeal.
One of the biggest turning points for Afekhare came this August at Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL), where her designs walked the runway alongside some of the continent’s finest talents. “It was incredible to see my pieces resonate with people from different cultural backgrounds. It reinforced my belief that African heritage belongs on the global stage,” she reflects.
But Afekhare knows firsthand that building a brand in Nigeria and expanding it abroad come with very different realities. In Lagos, she navigated limited infrastructure and a tougher entrepreneurial landscape, while in the UK, she found more structured platforms and diverse opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration. Both markets, however, have tested her resilience. “Understanding each industry’s nuances has been crucial. Adapting without losing authenticity has been my biggest lesson,” she admits.
What makes her story even more compelling is the balance she now strikes between being a student and a business owner. Currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma at the British Academy of Fashion Design, Afekhare has found her classroom experiences directly shaping her work. From refining her design techniques to rethinking business strategies, she sees education not as a pause from work but as fuel for the brand’s next phase. “Time management is everything,” she says with a smile, “but it’s worth it.”
Behind her growth are clear strategies: focusing on bespoke designs that prioritise quality, harnessing social media to reach global audiences, collaborating with other creatives, and never shying away from showcasing at international platforms. These steps, she believes, have been instrumental in keeping Fassy_Couture not only sustainable but thriving.
For Afekhare, culture is both the inspiration and foundation of her work. Each piece tells a story, weaving traditional textiles and motifs into pieces that speak to modern women. This balance of authenticity and global relevance has allowed her designs to connect with diverse audiences without losing their Nigerian soul.
Still, the journey has not been without its struggles. One challenge that nearly shook her confidence was navigating the starkly different demands of Nigerian and UK markets. “It forced me to dig deeper, to research, to ask questions, to adapt quickly. Persistence and resilience became my backbone,” she recalls.
Looking ahead, Afekhare’s ambitions are clear. In the next five years, she wants Fassy_Couture to stand among the leading African fashion brands on the global stage, remembered not just for style but for substance, for empowering women and showcasing the richness of African culture in every piece she creates.
Her advice to young Nigerian designers dreaming of global recognition is as practical as it is heartfelt: build a strong identity rooted in your heritage, stay open to learning, and keep showing up even when external validation is slow to come. “Remain steadfast and committed to your craft,” she insists.
From Lagos to London, from the sewing table to the runway, Adebunmi Afekhare’s journey really shows that fashion is more than joining of fabrics. It exudes elegance and culture. It is simply confidence and resilience stitched together… and in her case, it is a dream that keeps expanding.
