Half-Year Itinerary
September 2025 — Launch & Cultural Foundations
Week 1: "Canvas of Roots"
Project: Uli & Ikenga Launch (small gallery launch & sampling studio)
- Concept shoot
- Initial Uli pattern sampling
- Dye-bath demonstrations
- Small press meet-and-greet
Week 2: "Backdrop & Weave"
Project: The Royal Ascent prep (studio residency & tailoring lab)
- Couture draping sessions
- Yoruba-inspired silhouette development
- Tailoring workshops with UK tailors
Week 3: "Coastlines & Culture"
Project: Riverine Rhapsody (textile revamp & prop-building for shows)
- Collaborative textile printing with UK suppliers
- Prototype river-pattern garments
Week 4: "Team Retreat — Sketch & Sample"
Activity: Creative retreat & palette research
- Nature sketching for English country flair
- Small capsule sampling
- Team atelier bonding
October 2025 — Development & Cross-Cultural Craft
Week 1: "Uli Atelier: Resist & Reveal"
Project: Hands-on resist-dye masterclass and print day
- Lead workshops on Uli motifs
- Produce small-batch handcrafted fabrics
Week 2: "Courtly Threads"
Project: The Royal Ascent fittings (bespoke fittings & contemporary tailoring)
- Fittings for show looks
- Integration of beadwork and English country tailoring details
Week 3: "River Workshops"
Project: Riverine Rhapsody pop-up (community sewing & dyeing sessions)
- Community co-creation sessions
- Pre-sales of limited-edition garments
Week 4: "Industry Roundtable"
Activity: Panel: UK–Nigeria fashion collaboration
- Trade discussion
- Buyer introductions
- Wholesale enquiries
November 2025 — Production & Market Testing
Week 1: "Illuminate & Adorn"
Project: Festival-ready looks (Royal Ascent) - install & costume prep for light-activated textiles
- Textile finishing
- LED/beadwork trials for festival wear
- Culture collide mini Fashion Show
Week 2: "Walls of Heritage"
Project: Uli & Ikenga community mural textiles (fabric panels and exhibition garments)
- Collaborative mural textiles
- Exhibit-ready pieces
Week 3: "Brushed & Bundled"
Project: Market stall design (stall design and weather-proofing garments for pop-up retail)
- Market sales
- Pop-up retail testing
Week 4: "Workshop Intensive"
Activity: Free volunteer-led week equipping aspiring designers with core fashion skills
- Nigerian heritage techniques fused with UK contemporary design
- Pattern cutting, fabric sourcing, beadwork, stitching
- Capsule concept creation
- Showcase and career guidance
December 2025 — Shows, Retail & Seasonal Collections
Week 1: "Yuletide Touches"
Project: Capsule gifting line (Uli & Royal Ascent mixes) - holiday pop-up and curated gifting
- Retail pop-up
- Bespoke gift commissions
- Limited runs
Week 2: "Silent Nights & Stitches"
Project: Candlelit presentation (intimate presentation of eveningwear pieces)
- Intimate runway show
- Press photography
- VIP trunk sales
Week 3: "Stitches & Sips"
Project: Artisan Evening (maker market and client tastings)
- Fashion show
- Maker market
- Sampling
- Private commissions
Week 4: "Break Begins — Seasonal Pause"
Activity: Optional remote work; small-scale online fulfilment
- Order fulfilment
- Planning for January
January 2026 — Artistic Reset & Digital Design
Week 1: "Fresh Perspectives"
Project: Sunrise collection edit (editorial shoot & morning-tailored silhouettes)
- Photoshoots blending English country hues with Nigerian embroidery
Week 2: "Paint by Philosophy"
Project: Symbolism in pattern (symbol-driven design workshops)
- Collaborative design sessions with studios
- Pattern library expansion
Week 3: "Digital Design Dive"
Project: Virtual Studio Day (3D mock-ups and virtual fitting sessions with UK buyers)
- 3D mockups
- Virtual showrooms for buyers
Week 4: "Field Trip"
Project: Textures & Heritage (sketching historical texture references; sample refinement)
- Research trip to refine English country motifs
- Garment linings and trims development
February 2026 — Sahelian Splendor & Finale
Week 1: "Culture Tracks"
Project: Cross-city inspiration tour (showroom stops)
- Buyer showroom visits
- Trunk shows with curated capsule pieces
Week 2: "The Big Brush Bash"
Project: Sahelian Splendor Feature (Hausa & Fulani) - main capsule presentation
- Main presentation of Sahelian Splendor
- Flowing robes, taggo embroidery workshops
- Collaborative Fulani beadwork demos
Week 3: "Riverine Finale"
Project: Ijaw & Delta Immersion (final Riverine Rhapsody runway & community exhibition)
- Final runway event
- Pre-orders and wholesale meetings
- Wrap of Riverine collection
Week 4: "Team Review & Awards"
Project: Lookbook & Portfolio Prep (lookbook production, award submissions, archive creation)
- Lookbook photography
- Award submissions
- Archive handover to Capital Grid Design Ltd