MIA London is set to make its Africa Fashion Week London debut in August 2018. The luxury fashion brand will showcase a collection to buyers, stylists and fashion journalists from around the world.
Founder and creative director, Aji Ayorinde has designed a collection brand featuring formalwear pieces handmade by skilled tailors from across the African continent.
MIA London will be entering the Nigerian market next to build on their current collaborations with tailors based in South Africa and Zambia. They will be undertaking an overseas visit to Nigeria in the final quarter of 2018 to shoot with a number of local models and to shoot for an editorial.
“We take a collaborative approach as our aim is not to ‘colonise’ the creative talent of our chosen tailors but to showcase their skills,” says Ayorinde.
The MIA story begins in Africa, a continent that holds infinite beauty and is home to a generation of inspired individuals who are breaking conservative moulds.
MIA London’s founder’s own African cultural genesis led him back to the continent, where he was re-invigorated by the people and experiences that he encountered. When he found himself in need of a suit he designed the first pair of MIA trousers; taking cognisance of contemporary trends, and incorporating the high-waisted fit of a bygone era.
His design provided a solution to the trade-off between waist fit and leg room that many men experience and was the perfect fit for any man. The creation of the initial pair of trousers was entrusted to a local tailor of a South African brand. After experiencing the pure luxury and comfort of the trousers created, Aji Ayorinde returned to London, England to launch the brand.
MIA London both provides a bespoke tailoring offering and collaborates with a number of highly-skilled African tailors with a focus on its flagship products, high-waisted formal trousers and tailored sweatpants, customised per collection by the tailors. The focus of the brand is on the fit of the product, the fit of the future for the modern day gentleman or woman. All of their clothing is handmade in different countries in Africa including Zambia and South Africa.
The goal of MIA London is to show the world that Africa can compete in the luxury tailored formalwear market and in the luxury tailored streetwear market. It is a modern thinking African brand that recognises that gender fluidity exists – all of their clothing is now unisex.
Africa Fashion Week London is one of the biggest events for Africa focused brands in the world. It is a great opportunity to showcase the collection from this exciting luxury African brand which is set to take over the world.
