Founder and designer, Nkwo
Nkwo Onwuka
British-Nigerian
Nkwo Onwuka first launched her label in London in 2007 and relaunched NKWO in 2012 as an artisanal brand. Working with Nigerian craftspeople, she is known for turning waste such as plastic laundry bags into garments and accessories. NKWO has shown repeatedly at Lagos Fashion Week, with collections that address sustainability and social causes.
Houses
Their runway, measured
18 looks in 1 showNext to every runway we track, Nkwo Onwuka's looks are darker, more saturated, less neutral and cooler.
Colours
- Navy · 14.3× the average60%
- Denim blue · 5.5× the average14%
- Silver · 1.7× the average9%
- Black4%
- Burgundy / oxblood3%
- White3%
- Charcoal2%
- Pink1%
Share of garment area across their looks; × is against every runway.
Colour and surface
- Lightness28/100darker · all runways 39/100
- Colour saturation17.6more saturated · all runways 12.6
- Neutrals23%less neutral · all runways 60%
- Warm hues10%cooler · all runways 70%
- Tonal looks50%more tonal · all runways 33%
- Colour-blockingΔE 39about average · all runways ΔE 35
- Surface texture10.42more textured · all runways 5.06
- Sheen0.118shinier · all runways 0.065
What sets them apart
Shapes, fabrics and details they use far more often than other designers, with a glimpse of the looks: one from each collection that wore it most.
- Upcycled / deadstock (visible)77.3×Material
- Slashed / laser-cut22.1×Detail
- Patchwork print20.4×Pattern
- Sandals13.2×Footwear
- Patchwork11.8×Detail
- Perforated / laser-cut10.6×Surface
- Raw / frayed hems9.2×Detail
- Denim8.9×Material
Silhouettes
- Asymmetric 72%4.6×
- Straight / tubular 44%
- Oversized 44%1.6×
- Inverted triangle / strong shoulder 22%
- Boxy 17%1.4×
Materials
- Denim 72%8.9×
- Upcycled / deadstock (visible) 67%77.3×
- Cotton / poplin 56%1.8×
- Fringe 39%7.2×
- Wool / tailoring cloth 17%46% less
Details
- Raw / frayed hems 89%9.2×
- Cut-away / asymmetric hem 72%4.7×
- Patchwork 67%11.8×
- Exposed seams / deconstruction 39%7.5×
- Fringe 39%4.4×
Patterns
- Patchwork print 39%20.4×
- Stripes 22%3.1×
- Geometric 11%3.2×
- Pinstripe 11%3.4×
- Abstract stripe / brushstroke 6%3.1×
Mood
- Playful 50%2.9×
- Serene 50%2.4×
- Edgy 39%2.5×
- Relaxed 28%
- Elegant 17%61% less
Style
- Craft / artisanal 100%6.1×
- Deconstructed 67%6.1×
- Avant-garde 50%2.0×
- Tailoring 22%
- Minimalist 17%53% less
From the AI tags on 18 of their looks. A designer is credited with a house's shows while they lead it; ×: how much more often than across all 25,892 measured looks.
