Iamisigo scoops Zalando Visionary Award 2025

Copenhagen Fashion Week is still be in full swing, but last night marked one of the peaks of this season’s most excitement. Zalando announced the winner of its 2025 Visionary Award, lifting up three emerging designers who challenge the status quo with their innovative and sustainability-first approach. Earlier in the day, these three finalists – Swedish brand Rave Review, Nigerian label Iamisigo and London-based Feben – presented a curated selection of hero pieces plucked from past collections in an hour-and-a-half showcase and panel talk. The talent who took home the top prize was Iamisigo founder Bubu Ogisi.

“It feels exciting – I’m happy,” Ogisi reflects on the achievement. “It means a lot to us, we’re excited to show more people our processes, our work and our craziness.” The Zalando Visionary Award is a highly covetable prize, boasting a €50,000 monetary grant and production support for the brand’s SS26 showcase at Copenhagen Fashion Week. The accolade also includes a dedicated mentorship program, led this year by Dio Kurazawa, founder of Bear Scouts.

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For Ogisi, one of the most thrilling aspects is being able to bring a slice of her universe to the Danish capital next season while the designer also notes that she’ll use this opportunity to “do research for the new collection and to introduce new materials that we haven't worked with yet.” “It’s rediscovering and discovering new things for us, but also allowing the world and Copenhagen to discover these things simultaneously with us, so it's a win-win situation,” she says.

Founded in 2013, Iamisigo is currently based in Lagos, Nairobi and Accra. Celebrated for its artisanal, craftsmanship-forward approach – where trailblazing textile development takes centre stage – Ogisi creates cool, contemporary, punchy and statement-making garments that harness heritage fabrications and incorporate traditional craft techniques. These techniques have been sourced from families and communities across Africa, who have passed them on for generations. Dedicated to preservation, Ogisi ensures the artisans’ methods, practices, and environments remain intact.

The visionary herself, who draws inspiration from travelling and people-watching, describes her brand as “really experimental, raw and undefined.” “It’s something that I love to see as my little playground. I think when you're able to be playful, you’re able to create, make mistakes and also recreate at the same time,” she says.

Zalando states that its jury selected Iamisigo as the winner “for its dedication to blending ethical sourcing with a commitment to empowering local communities.” Jury member Anne Pascual, SVP for design marketing and content at Zalando adds: “This award was created to highlight designers who approach their craft with authenticity and intent and that’s exactly what Iamsigo has demonstrated and we’re proud to support that.”

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Looking ahead, Ogisi envisions “more experimentation, more research and storytelling – I'm obsessed with stories that I haven't heard before,” adding, “I also want to expose the world to the evolution of design and how we're redefining the processes of creativity and craftsmanship across the continent… I want to leave behind a legacy.”

And there’s no doubt that the spring/summer ‘26 edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week is in for a treat. “I think at the end of the day, the end result is what matters – and most importantly, how the audience perceives it. I think they will be really surprised,” she says, adding cheekily, “Something is cooking.”