Orange Culture Fall 2026

At Berlin Fashion Week, where innovation often takes precedence over emotion, Orange Culture offered something strikingly human. Nigerian designer Adebayo Okelawal returned with his Fall/Winter 2026 collection, Backyards of Memory, transforming the M60 venue into a glowing world of warmth and nostalgia. Bathed in orange light, the show opened with a poetic recording that felt more like a morning meditation than a runway prelude. It set the tone for a collection rooted in reflection, memory, and the beauty of everyday moments. Following the loss of his mother, Okelawal found comfort in the backyard of his childhood, a space he describes as the heart of family life in Nigeria — where neighbours gathered, children played, and freedom was first learned.

Through his designs, Okelawal explored how memory can be both protective and vulnerable. Silhouettes flowed with ease, fabrics draped gently around the body, and cuts revealed a quiet intimacy. The collection blended softness with structure, pairing gender-fluid tailoring with airy, movement-filled shapes. Colour was central: vivid oranges, scarlet reds, lime greens, and sky blues echoed the glow of sunlight on fabric hung to dry, while softer shades of pink and cream lent tenderness to the line-up. The palette celebrated life rather than mourning it, turning remembrance into radiance.

As ever, collaboration was integral to Orange Culture’s vision. Artisans from Lagos, Accra, and Berlin contributed prints, jewellery, and accessories, adding layers of texture and story to the garments. Okelawal’s approach remains deeply personal yet universal, proving that fashion can be a vessel for memory as much as material. With Backyards of Memory, he reminded Berlin that true beauty often comes from the places that shaped us — ordinary spaces that, in hindsight, become extraordinary.