Wearing African prints shouldn’t require an occasion. That’s the quiet argument Zainab Kolawole keeps making through StyledbyZK, one two-piece set, one easy dress, and one rewearable silhouette at a time.
If you grew up around adiré and ankara, you know how quickly “African wear” gets boxed into ceremony: too dressy, too loud, too “where are you going to?” Kolawole’s work pushes back on that thinking: African prints should not always feel like “ceremonial wear” by default. Her designs insist that heritage can be everyday: worn to work, to brunch, to the kind of plans that don’t come with aso ebi group chats.
That thinking was on display when StyledbyZK showed at Fashion Week Yorkshire on November 8, 2025, in Leeds, West Yorkshire. And what stayed with me wasn’t just the prints; it was the deliberate restraint. Kolawole leaned into her Nigerian references without turning them into costumes. The collection felt familiar, but cut for real movement: between work, ease, and play.
On the runway, the silhouettes were relaxed and wearable: softly structured dresses, easy two-piece sets, and fluid separates anchored in traditional fabric. The prints, in colourful fabric produced by the brand, were expressive without being overwhelming, and the simple styling made the clothes feel practical. It felt like items you can break apart, rewear, and build into a wardrobe rather than a single moment.
THE BOLAJI SET
One standout for me was the Bolaji two-piece pant set. With its two-toned fabric and structured neckline, it feels like two moods in one look. The top’s earthy graphic pattern brings structure and bite, while the trousers lean more playful and expressive, creating contrast without looking chaotic. Then, there’s the asymmetrical neckline, clean, open, and flattering, framing the collarbone in a way that makes the set feel intentionally feminine.
It’s the kind of outfit that breaks into a wardrobe easily. I imagine pairing the trousers with a classic white shirt on a lazy workday to look stylishly put together. And when you want to elevate the top, swap in a sleek bottom (black tailored trousers, a satin midi skirt, or cream-coloured wide-legs) and let the neckline and sleeves do the talking. You see the vision as well, don’t you?
THE MONI SKIRT SET
Another standout piece for me was the Moni skirt set, the kind of look that earns its keep. Kolawole calls it her brand’s clearest signature because it refuses to sit in one category. It can be styled for formal occasions or dressed down for a casual look.
That flexibility is essential to sustainability, and it was immediately visible from the runway. Like the Bolaji set, the top works with black trousers, white denim, or a simple skirt. The skirt, on the other hand, would pair well with a crisp white shirt or a fitted tank and heels.
THE TOKE DRESS
The Toke dress is the collection’s most playful silhouette, a fitted top that holds the body neatly, and a bubble skirt that does what it’s meant to do: give shape, movement, and that “girls dinner” energy without trying too hard.
The construction is the point here. The bodice feels structured enough to flatter, while the skirt balloons out in a way that reads fun, flirty, and deliberate, like a modern nod to party dressing, just softened for real life. The print mix works because it’s confident: the top feels bolder and more graphic, the skirt leans more expressive and nostalgic, and together they land as statement-making but still wearable.
Style-wise, it’s an easy dress to build around: keep it clean with minimal jewellery and strappy heels, or dress it down with flats and a small shoulder bag and let the volume carry the look.
A DELICATE BALANCE
What the collection does well is the balance between identity and wearability. Kolawole is clear about her non-negotiables. Aso oke, adire, and ankara are not added for decoration but are rather the foundation of her brand. She also keeps her processes intentionally small-batch, guided by sustainability and longevity.
“I refused to compromise on fabric authenticity, production methods, and small-batch creation,” she told Guardian Life. You feel that intention in the restraint: clothes designed to live in, not just photograph well.
Still, there is room to push further. The colour and fabric story feel cohesive, but occasionally a little safe. I would like to see her take bigger risks with range: more unexpected pairings, a sharper mix of texture, and a wider spread of silhouettes, especially for a collection released around November. That timing begs for options that speak to festive season dressing: breathable, elevated pieces that can handle December movement without turning into full ceremonial wear.
Even within her heritage focus, there’s space to widen the fabric conversation with a new hand-feel, more contrast, and more play, without losing the brand’s grounding.
There’s also the recurring misunderstanding Kolawole keeps running into: that her work is for a narrow class of people. “My work is sometimes categorised as being for only a certain class of people,” she told me.
But what she presented in Leeds argues the opposite. These are clothes built around versatility and real life, made for women who move freely between spaces and want their wardrobes to reflect that freedom.
LIVING BOLDLY
Kolawole says she wants the wearer to feel “joy, nostalgia, excitement.” Watching StyledbyZK in Yorkshire, I understood why. The collection carries that home-feeling, those familiar prints, the sense of community dressing, and the memory of festive seasons, but translated into pieces that meet the present.
And if you want the brand’s thesis in three lines, she gives it plainly: “Be bold. Be free. Be happy.” StyledbyZK is still evolving, but the direction is clear: African-inspired dressing that doesn’t wait for an occasion, and doesn’t ask for permission.
