Tokyo James and Yusuff Aina collaborated on a fashion show take took place Milan Fashion Week.

At Milan Fashion Week, designery Tokyo James and artist Yusuff Aina teamed up for the ‘Expansion’ collection. This collaboration, curated by Dolly Kola, reflects a growing trend: designers working with artists to tell stories through fashion.

Iniye Tokyo James is a Nigerian designer and fashion stylist known for his unique style and strong visual imagery. After studying mathematics in London, James began his career as a fashion stylist and directed digital campaigns for international publications. His brand, Tokyo James, was founded in Lagos, Nigeria, but now he’s moved to the United Kingdom.

Yusuff Aina Abogunde, a Nigerian multidisciplinary artist, utilises the AINAISM medium, a technique combining creative lines, African patterns, and symbols derived from the name AINA, meaning a child born with an umbilical cord.

The ‘Expansion’ collection explores the challenges faced by African artists and aims to change how people see them. A giant sculpture by Yusuff Aina symbolises resilience and unity, echoing the collection’s theme.

Tokyo James collaborated with Yusuf Aina at Retro Africa and Dolly Kola to reimagine the concept of being an artist from the global south. The collection, inspired by Aina’s magical character, The Eniyan, was created through texture fabrication and technique. The creative director’s heartfelt connection to Aina’s work was evident in the creation of a special sculpture for the FW24 collections.