Contemporary African luxury fashion took centre stage in London as designer, serial entrepreneur and Creative Director Esther Olorunfemi, popularly known as Estree (@estree16), made a definitive mark at the 16th edition of Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL).
Representing her flagship fashion brand, House of Estree (@houseofestree), the UK-based Nigerian creative delivered a dual-impact presentation, unveiling a striking 12-look collection on the main runway while simultaneously maintaining a strong presence on the AFWL exhibition floor.
The highlight of the event came as House of Estree debuted its latest 12-look collection before an international audience of fashion critics, global buyers, diaspora leaders and style enthusiasts.
The showcase also placed the spotlight on KOWRI, Estree’s newly launched activewear brand, which was strongly represented on the AFWL runway.
For its AFWL 2026 presentation, House of Estree showcased the versatility of Ankara, transforming the vibrant African fabric into a range of contemporary silhouettes. Rather than limiting African textiles to traditional styles, the collection reimagined Ankara through modern tailoring, with pieces including structured jackets, belted outerwear, tailored trousers and other contemporary menswear and womenswear designs.
This approach reflects the wider House of Estree design philosophy. The brand works with African fabrics, particularly Ankara and Aso-Oke, transforming them into contemporary pieces ranging from blazers, skirts and tailored trousers to bomber jackets, winter jackets and coats.
The result is a meeting point between African textile heritage and modern global fashion, demonstrating the versatility of African fabrics beyond traditional wear.
KOWRI brought a distinctly different energy to the presentation, showcasing its T-shirts, jerseys, hoodies and jogger pants on the runway.
Rooted in African cultural symbolism while designed for contemporary lifestyles, the activewear brand brings together heritage, style and functionality. KOWRI is set to expand its offering further with the forthcoming launch of its gym wear collection, including sports bras, leggings and other fitness-focused pieces.
Although deliberately stylised as KOWRI, the brand takes its inspiration from the cowrie shell, historically used as a form of currency and exchange in parts of Africa and long associated with wealth, value and cultural heritage.
Drawing from that history, KOWRI is built around the symbolism of wealth and protection, reinterpreting an enduring African symbol for a contemporary generation.
“African Fashion Week London provides an important international platform to showcase the depth, sophistication and global potential of African fashion. Bringing our 12-look collection to the AFWL runway, while also presenting KOWRI to an international audience, is both a celebration of our heritage and a statement on where contemporary African fashion is headed,” said Estree, Founder and Creative Director of House of Estree.
Beyond the runway spotlight, House of Estree and KOWRI maintained an active presence on the AFWL exhibition floor, providing attendees, fashion influencers, retail buyers and style enthusiasts with an immersive, up-close opportunity to experience the brands, collections and craftsmanship.
Following its UK launch and strong representation at African Fashion Week London 2026, KOWRI will be available in Nigeria from 15 September 2026, while continuing to offer worldwide delivery. The expansion marks another step in Estree’s ambition to grow KOWRI across international markets and make the brand accessible to customers globally.
Founded in London in May 2025, House of Estree is more than a fashion brand; it is a distinctive African cultural and creative hub, bringing fashion, culture, creativity and enterprise together under one roof.
The expansive space has been designed not only to showcase House of Estree’s own womenswear, menswear, accessories and lifestyle collections, but also to provide a platform for African and diaspora designers and creatives to showcase their work, connect with new audiences and gain greater visibility.
With dedicated retail and creative areas, visually curated spaces for photography and content creation, and room for exhibitions, showcases and cultural experiences, House of Estree is building a destination where African creativity can be discovered, experienced and celebrated.
Its wider vision is to open doors for talented African creatives — particularly those who may not have access to their own physical showcase space — and provide a platform through which their work can reach audiences in the UK and beyond.
AFWL 2026 marks another important milestone in the brand’s journey, following House of Estree’s participation in African Fashion Week London 2025 and its growing presence through fashion, retail and cultural experiences in London.
The success at AFWL 2026 also underscores the breadth of Estree’s entrepreneurial journey. While fashion and cultural expression remain central to her creative identity, Estree is an established serial entrepreneur and the Founder and Managing Director of Enablement Care Services, a UK-based care organisation providing specialist support for adults with autism, learning and physical disabilities and mental-health needs.
Her wider business interests span fashion, hospitality and short-let accommodation, events and media, alongside longstanding passions for fitness and music. Across her ventures, Estree has built a diverse business portfolio while continuing to champion creativity, culture and entrepreneurship.
Her commitment to African culture extends beyond the runway. Estree has participated in the historic Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, a colourful celebration of Yoruba heritage, fashion and tradition.
Her participation reflects the same philosophy that drives House of Estree and KOWRI — celebrating African identity while presenting it in ways that are vibrant, contemporary and globally relevant.
From the colourful cultural expression of Ojude Oba to commanding the runway at the 16th Africa Fashion Week London, Estree continues to establish House of Estree and KOWRI as formidable bridges between African heritage and international contemporary luxury fashion.
With a 12-look menswear and womenswear runway presentation, a strong exhibition presence and the prominent showcasing of newly launched KOWRI, AFWL 2026 represents another significant milestone for House of Estree and Estree’s growing fashion portfolio as she continues her ambition to take contemporary African fashion to wider international audiences.
Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
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