Reni Folawiyo-Alara Concepts

Alara is the brainchild of prominent Nigerian businesswoman, Reni Folawiyo. Alara is a concept store in the true sense of the term, being where fashion meets design, meets culture, meets anything that’s hip! It fuses both international and African luxury cool, and in this vein even features a restaurant by celebrated NYC based Senegalese chef, Peter Thiam.

Alara, which means ‘wondrous performer’ in Yoruba, is rapidly becoming an end-to-end fashion house for Nigerians and westerners alike. It offers a mix of fashion, art and design in a similar style to famous concept stores like Paris’ Colette, London’s Dover Street Market and Milan’s 10 Corso Como. Reni looks to champion Nigerian designs, stocking the work of Maki Oh, Lanre de Silva Ajayi and Tiffany Amber. Alara has the potential to be a beacon for other fashion retailers and a centre for gravity for global luxury brands already beginning to cluster around a nascent fashion district in Lagos.

Prior to the fashion house opening Nigerians had tended to shop abroad for luxury purchases, “I felt that we needed something iconic that would change our city, change the way we see ourselves and also change the way the world sees us.” Remi was once quoted saying. Her vision of the ‘Alara Woman’ is of someone who is a high-powered global citizen. With the store, she aims to establish a contemporary visual language for African luxury.

Adele Dejak is really honored and proud to be associated with this fashion house. We are proud to be one of the luxury brands that is stocked by Alara Lagos.