There is something particularly interesting about designing from a feeling rather than an image. For Banke Kuku, that feeling was abundance.
The British-Nigerian designer’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Earth & Sky, draws from a personal experience that has reshaped how she sees the world: becoming a mother for the first time. The arrival of her son, Olisa Emeka, brought an overwhelming sense of love, gratitude and fullness, which she began to recognize in the natural world around her. Flower buds, birds, butterflies, bees, the sky and the rain became expressions of that same abundance.
Presented on Wednesday, November 11, at Oasis – The Glass Marquee in Victoria Island, Lagos, the collection explores the relationship between the earth and sky through the natural cycle of rainfall, growth and renewal. It is a story of interdependence and nature’s cycle of giving back: rain falls from the sky, nourishes the earth and makes new life possible.
That relationship finds expression across seven prints grouped into three families: Sky, Earth and Rain. The Sky prints bring together elements such as bougainvillea, birds and butterflies against vivid backgrounds, while the Earth family draws on flowering plants, including the Yellow Trumpet. The Rain family introduces droplet-inspired patterns, creating another visual interpretation of the collection’s central theme.
The result is a colourful interplay of floral, daytime-sky, nighttime-sky and rain inspired patterns. Vivid yellows and greens sit alongside pinks and deeper shades of blue and red, giving the collection a varied but recognizable visual language.
Among the collection’s standout details are the hand-embroidered clouds and raindrops featured on selected kaftans, dresses and kimono robes. One particularly striking dress featured an open back, with embroidered clouds extending from the nape and the waist, transforming the exposed back into an unexpected design feature. The embroidery was particularly striking in its placement and styling, adding texture without overwhelming the garment.
Beyond the robes and loungewear associated with the brand, Earth & Sky explored a broader wardrobe of silhouettes and pieces, including corsets, shorts, gowns, shirts, scarves, hijabs and smaller handbags. The bags, presented in different compact sizes, were among the collection’s quieter highlights, while the droplet prints and floral patterns carried the theme across different garment types.
The collection’s visual language extended beyond the clothes themselves. Warm lighting and a central stage display featuring the earth and sky established the atmosphere, while floral and sky-inspired details appeared throughout the event’s visual identity. During the runway presentation, the sound of rainfall and thunder was layered with local drum rhythms and the shake of a beaded calabash, bringing an audible dimension to the natural elements informing the collection.
The show welcomed distinguished guests, including Her Excellency Olufolake Abdulrazaq, First Lady of Kwara State, also dubbed as the First Lady of Fashion.
The presentation was made possible with the support of its partners: Air Peace, Moët & Chandon, Hybrid Motors, Essenza, Linda Farrow, Blue Rock Residencies, Acely, Kat Maconie, Polo Avenue, VL Magazine, ThisDay Style and Leisurely Life Journal.
The presentation also marked a personal milestone for Banke, as her son, Olisa Emeka, made his runway debut. His appearance brought the collection’s personal inspiration into the presentation itself.
For a designer whose work is closely associated with expressive prints and textiles, Earth & Sky continues that relationship with nature while expanding its expression across a wider range of garments. Its underlying message reaches beyond the visual appeal of the collection: the natural world operates through cycles of giving and renewal, and what is received must also be replenished.
From the sky to the earth, and eventually to you and me, Earth & Sky finds its abundance in the connections that sustain life.