Omoyemi Akerele is the founder and CEO of Lagos Fashion Week and Style House Files, a fashion business development agency that has played a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the African fashion industry. With over two decades of experience, she has created transformative platforms that support emerging designers, foster market access, and integrate sustainable practices across the textile and apparel sectors.

Through Lagos Fashion Week, Omoyemi has elevated African talent on the global stage, offering designers a platform to showcase their work while providing advocacy, masterclasses, and incubation support. Her work has opened doors for designers across Africa, connecting them to international markets and promoting the continent’s creativity and craftsmanship.

Omoyemi is the driving force behind initiatives like Woven Threads and Green Access, which advocate for sustainability, transparency, and ethical design practices. Her SHF Trains program has enhanced Nigeria’s garment manufacturing capacity, creating local jobs, empowering artisans, and supporting export growth.

Omoyemi’s work interfaces with organizations such as Prosper Africa (USAID), the United Nations SheTrades Initiative, and the Nigeria Export Promotion Council to strengthen Africa’s creative economy. A regular speaker at international conferences — including MoMA New York, Business of Fashion Voices, and FIT New York — Omoyemi’s insights have shaped global conversations about African fashion, sustainability, and economic empowerment.

As a member of the Business of Fashion’s Global 500, Omoyemi continues to influence the future of fashion globally. Based in Lagos with her husband and three daughters, she remains committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and growth across Africa’s creative industries.