SUMMER WEEKEND by OFD will open its 2026 season in Odesa on 8 and 9 August, bringing together Ukrainian designers, fashion brands, manufacturers, educators, media and industry professionals. The two-day programme will take place at MarAmax Academy and the Odesa Botanical Garden of I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University. It will feature presentations, runway shows […]
Nigerian fashion brand Nonnistics has introduced Presence, a Spring/Summer 2026/27 ready-to-wear collection centred on quiet confidence, clean silhouettes and modern versatility. The Lagos-based label brings together sculptural dresses, refined separates, statement denim and occasionwear. Each piece supports movement between daily routines, social settings and more formal moments. Presence begins with a clear premise: personal style […]
Ella Stein is placing natural diamonds at the centre of everyday jewellery with a demi-fine collection designed to move easily between work, daily routines and evening plans. Founded by Adi Choksi in 2017, the brand combines minimalist design with recycled metals and smaller diamonds that might otherwise remain unused during traditional cutting processes. The company […]
The Royal Academy of Arts will examine Peggy Guggenheim’s formative years in the London art world with Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector, opening on 21 November 2026. Presented in the Jillian and Arthur M. Sackler Wing of Galleries until 14 March 2027, the exhibition will bring together more than 80 works […]
The European premiere of Simon Stone’s Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman, will open the 70th BFI London Film Festival at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on 7 October 2026. Members of the cast are expected to attend the Opening Night Gala, which will be accompanied by screenings around the UK. Running from […]
London Fashion Day (LFD) has officially opened designer applications for Season 8, which is set to take place in Autumn 2026. The platform is inviting emerging designers, independent clothing brands and new creative talents to apply for the next season and present their work within London’s international fashion environment. Since its launch, London Fashion Day […]
During London Fashion Week SS26, Black PR coordinated the runway show for the Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN), presenting one of the season’s most anticipated events — Cultural Threads SS26. The showcase took place on Saturday, 20 September at Ladbroke Hall, offering a powerful new stage for innovative and culturally rooted voices in fashion.
Cultural Threads unfolded as a dynamic presentation that celebrated craftsmanship, heritage, and minority-led design innovation. It represented a new era in fashion storytelling, where underrepresented designers used the runway as a canvas for identity, memory, and future-making.
About UDGN
Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN) is a pioneering platform reimagining the future of fashion by centring the visions, voices, and stories of minority designers worldwide. Founded by award-winning designer and British Fashion Council member Tare Isaac, UDGN operates as both a CIC and Ltd., offering technical support, business development, wellness care, and high-level PR through a unique incubator-to-showcase model.
The debut Cultural Threads incubator program highlighted 16 designers whose work blended cultural heritage with contemporary innovation.
Featured Designers & Collections
MOTUNRAYO (Motunrayo Ajayi) – Of Water and Spirit, inspired by the sacred Osun Festival, channelling divine femininity through ritualistic elegance and modern silhouettes.
AYAH (Ebi Mobowei Daukoru Ayah) – The Fisherman’s Echo, drawing from the riverside life of the Niger Delta, with textures and colours reflecting water’s rhythm.
ZUBERE (Nancy Chizubere Johnson-Chidiadi) – ULONWAANYi – The Woman’s Homecoming, a tribute to Igbo bridal heritage, celebrating joy and matriarchal lineage.
MIDETUSH (Olumide Oyewumi) – Air and Stripes, exploring Yoruba cultural heritage and modern urban aesthetics.
BOLA (Omobolanle Suleman) – Inheritance, inspired by the grandeur of the Ojude Oba Festival, transforming communal elegance into wearable legacy.
KAYPEE FOOTWEARS (Kolapo Omoyoloye) – APATA – Legacy Underfoot, footwear rooted in Yoruba landscapes, merging durability with symbolism.
JERMAINE BLEU (Jason Jermaine Asiedu) – Twa Me Foto (Take My Photo), a joyful love letter to self-expression and the tradition of dressing up.
ROBES AND BLINGS BY AKOKOMALI (Olaitan Maria Olatoke) – TIWANTIWA (Ours is Ours), reinterpreting the white cloth ritual as a symbol of womanhood and resilience.
LEKAN AARE (Lekan Aare) – Homage to the King, a contemporary tribute to Yoruba nobility through tailored masculinity.
PEM (Princess Ene Mary Obeya) – The Spirit Wears Red, honouring Idoma women as mothers, dancers, and spiritual leaders.
OMO AJADI (Yusuf Kareem) – White Race: The Eco Spirit Walks, inspired by the Elo Masquerade, weaving spiritual traditions into minimalism.
OBIREEN (Salami Oluwaseun Okpan’Iyoha) – Strength of a Queen, reflecting the regal legacy of Queen Idia of Benin.
THE IDEAL CRAFTSMAN (Olutoba Odetomi) – The Five, symbolic homage to five Yoruba orishas, merging tradition and modern menswear.
ANKU (Kelvin Vincent) – Woven Stories, tracing ancestry across the Ewe and Akan peoples, layered with intergenerational wisdom.
ITELE (Seyi Agboola) – Freedom, telling the story of Nigeria’s journey from colonialism to independence through bold forms and textiles.
TWIN BY TARE ISAAC (Tare Isaac) – The Water Bearer, an evocative ode to the Ijaw people’s connection with the sea and fishing heritage.
The Cultural Threads SS26 showcase was more than a fashion show — it was a manifesto. With every collection, the runway celebrated heritage, unity, and creative leadership, affirming fashion’s power as a tool of memory and future-making.
