Nigerian award-winning luxury fashion designer Banke Kuku has unveiled her latest collection, “Savannah,” on Tuesday at Gratitude Garden, Oyinka Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos. The collection draws inspiration from the northern Nigerian savannah, celebrating resilience, femininity, and the beauty of Africa’s landscapes.

The launch event, attended by leading African tastemakers, fashion editors, and cultural figures, featured pieces crafted from locally produced fabrics and ethical processes.

The pieces balance softness and structure, reflecting the dualities of the savannah: strength and fragility, silence and motion, tradition and innovation.

“A savannah is a lesson in resilience. It endures dry seasons and returns to life in full color. That rhythm of endurance and quiet confidence is what I wanted to capture in this collection,” the creative direction of Banke Kuku Textiles said during the launch.

Each piece in the collection is crafted using locally produced fabrics and ethical processes, reinforcing Kuku’s commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and cultural integrity.

According to Kuku, Savannah is more than fashion, it is a “statement of presence, purpose, and the quiet brilliance of African artistry.”

The collection resonates deeply with the feminine spirit while transcending gendered expression, celebrating universal elegance through grace and endurance found in both nature and humanity.”

During a press briefing with The Guardian, Kuku described Savannah as her “love letter to Nigeria,” inspired by the northern savannah landscapes.

“There are so many untold stories in Nigeria that are undocumented, so I use my fashion and textiles to document these stories. The Savannah collection tells the story of the northern landscape it’s educational, inspiring, and highlights the beauty of the North beyond the negative narratives. It’s also a call to action for us to protect our environment and wildlife,” she said.

The designer emphasized the need for sustainability and wildlife preservation, noting that many native animals such as zebras and giraffes are endangered.

Like her previous Oceans collection, Savannah reinforces her advocacy for sustainable fashion choices to preserve the environment for future generations.

“We hear a lot of negative stories, especially now. With everything that’s going on in the north, the terrorism and stuff. So sometimes It’s also good to understand some other aspects of the North, especially as we’re trying to grow tourism in Nigeria, not everything is all bad, basically.”

” So the Savannah really takes you on the journey about the modern landscape, it teaches you about the different animals that used to be there and are currently there dying out. It’s a call to action for us to look after our world”, she noted.

In addition, Kuku introduced new signature fabrics extending her brand into a broader lifestyle expression, bridging fashion, interior design, and cultural storytelling.

The pieces, including silk slip dresses, organza and mesh designs, and elevated loungewear, combine luxury with comfort, allowing wearers to express individuality while celebrating African artistry.

“we tell this story through print, through silhouette. We have some new fabrics. We’re working with amazing embroidery. We have our swimwear which we have expanded, we have new silhouettes in the swimwear.

We’ve made our classics even more interesting. We have our classic silhouettes like pajamas and kimonos. We have taken our silk pieces to a new level, because that’s something I really wanted to tap into with this collection, which we were not able to tap in so much with oceans my previous collection”.

So the collection is a lot more it’s a lot more luxurious. The fabrications are luxurious. The prints are bold, as always. The silhouettes are flattering. You know, is really about the customer wearing the clothes, not the clothes wearing the customers”.

“It allows you to be yourself. It allows you to showcase the true you, which is really important to me. And of course, it allows you to be comfortable, because my pieces are meant to be elevated around your pieces. So that’s really what the collection is about”, she noted.

Reflecting on her brand’s evolution, Kuku explained that Banke Kuku Textiles began as a loungewear brand during the pandemic but has since evolved into elevated luxury pieces suitable for both home and occasion wear.

“Banke Kuku was pieces you can wear at home, and it really was perfect for the moment, because we had all just gone into lockdown, so people were wearing the pieces at home, since the world has now changed and everyone is no longer stuck at home, the pieces became elevated loungewear. That’s how I like to describe it. And so they’re pieces that you can lounge at home, if you like, but you can also wear them out, and they really become quite occasional. So we have, like, more structured silk slip dresses”.

“This collection really shows our slip dresses, So we have a classic slip dress, which has the tassels and then we have different types of slip dresses. We have halter neck. We have skid dresses that are made out of organza and silk, different fabrication, mixing prints. So it’s really about the dresses, especially as we’re coming into party season, our dresses are always desired”, She added.

The Creative Director explained that the savannah represents resilience, shaped by its changing seasons and weather patterns, noting that the collection reflects these qualities, embodying strength, rebirth, and endurance that mirror the natural rhythm of the landscape.

“This collection is actually called Savannah in bloom, because it’s really the peak time in the Savannah. It’s when everything is blooming, when all the animals are alive, the plants are thriving, the soil is fertile. So this collection really shows where we would like our Savannah, our northern landscape, to be. And it’s really about preserving this northern landscape and taking it into this blooming stage,” she said.

Kuku further urged Nigerians to be more environmentally conscious by reducing pollution, curbing poaching, and recycling to protect the country’s natural beauty.

“I want the world to see the beauty of Nigeria. We are more than a concrete jungle, our landscapes are full of gold and grace. Savannah showcases that beauty,” she added.

Runway models showcased the luxurious pieces, each embodying the harmony of nature. Guests at the show also dazzled in stunning ensembles that complemented the evening’s theme.

With Savannah, Banke Kuku reasserts her position among Africa’s leading luxury designers, continuing her mission to translate the continent’s stories, textures, and resilience into timeless global fashion.