The ONATA HAUS fashion show in Ilashe redefined runway experiences, merging art and sustainability in a stunning celebration of conscious fashion.
Lagos is beloved for its vibrant entertainment scene and its islands — two elements that are often intertwined. Most festivals, concerts, and fashion shows take place on Victoria Island or Lagos Island. However, there are more islands than that, and a little off the coast of Lagos, alongside the Badagry Creek, lies Ilashe. An Island only accessible by boat, perfect for a fantasy world building typically seen in movies. But on 3 November, it became a runway for a brand you have never heard of, but your favourite designer has. Welcome to the ONATA HAUS show.
The ONATA HAUS event: An immersive experience of fashion and art
The sun sank low over the boat as it carried guests to Bambu Beach House in Ilashe for the ONATA HAUS show. The calm and serene waters set the stage for the ONATA HAUS debut during Lagos Fashion and Art Week 2025. Organisers strategically held the event on the Monday after Lagos Fashion Week’s final day, which was the Lagos Art Week’s first day. The placement was a statement; while ONATA HAUS presented a fashion show, it also took the audience through an art spectacle.
Against the backdrop of the Lagos coastline, the brand used recycled sawdust to craft the runway, demonstrating a tangible expression of its environmental commitment. Installations by Nigerian environmental artists Eugene Konboye and Patrick Ozuma—featuring upcycled works and e-waste—framed the show, exploring the tension between consumption and consciousness. This atmosphere, built on an environmentally friendly vision centred around community and shared experiences, perfectly embodied the ONATA HAUS pillars: craftsmanship, innovation, community, and education.
With every decoration, the intention was clear: this was beyond a fashion show; it was an invitation to slow down, connect, and invest in a more conscious world, detached from the stress of the capitalistic world. The show, unveiling its launch collection with this much of a stunning, thought-provoking presentation, had everyone asking, “What is ONATA HAUS?”
The ONATA HAUS collective: A unity of designers by values
Cofounded and creatively directed by eco-conscious stylist Cassandra Dittmer Nweze, whose work has appeared in major publications. She has also styled A-listers and philanthropic leaders, including Ty Burrell, Lady Antebellum, Laura Dern, and Melinda Gates.
ONATA HAUS is a future-forward, stylist-led fashion platform and e-retailer that focuses on selling products from global independent designers who prioritise conscious and ethical practices.
The platform curates over 20 independent labels from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and beyond. This brand list includes renowned labels like Ahluwalia, IAMISIGO, Lilabare, kkerelé, and PICHULIK.
Read also: These are the designers we are watching out for at GTCO Fashion Weekend 2025
They hand-selected each designer for their commitment to sustainable benchmarks, including fair wages, considered materials, supply chain transparency, and circularity. The runway was a global map of conscious style, offering a “continuous collection of timeless staples” rather than fleeting seasons.
This reflects the modern direction of fashion, where consumers now demand transparency about behind-the-scenes practices to ensure they are not funding exploitation or a climate crisis. ONATA HAUS gets ahead of this trend by assuring its audience that it conducts the necessary background research and that everything on its platform has met a strict ethical yardstick.
The collection: a celebration of diversity and relaxation
The beach house radiated a summer vibe with its festive lights and lush greenery, while the selected wardrobe captured an equally vibrant Spring-Summer energy.
The clothes incorporated trends from Lagos Fashion Week 2025. Fringe appeared in designs by ESCVDO, stripes featured in pieces by OpéraSPORT and ESCVDO, and SANNE showcased drop waists and dyed prints in their collection.
There was also a bold use of colours like red, blue, and green. A standout look featured a dark green textured top with mini fringes, paired with a matching black skirt, Nonso mule, and the Ukulu bag by Maliko. However, its standout piece was an exaggerated black Quaker hat. It was bold, it was fresh, and it had a peekaboo underbrim which revealed a black and white striped design.
A personal favourite was a woven black dress with a mirror-like bead added in between its threads. It was a piece, now sold out, by Nia Thomas, and watching it glisten and shine in the sunlight was truly spectacular. At night, it took on a new life as the night lights reflected off it.
A runway of consciousness: where fashion meets the environment
Sustainability might be a tired buzzword, but conscious fashion is here to stay. This was recently highlighted by Lagos Fashion Week winning the Earthshot Prize, a global challenge to support people creating real solutions to repair our planet. From the ONATA HAUS show to the Earthshot prize, Lagos is at the forefront of the modern wave of fashion.
Brands like ONATA HAUS are paving the way for a more ethical approach to fashion, challenging industry standards and consumer expectations alike. They are also encouraging us to invest in pieces that reflect our shared responsibility to the planet.
