Ifeoma Ononye 
Recently, we stumbled upon an alluring fashion brand called Lukabi. Trust us when we say you have most likely never seen anything like it before. If we were to describe the brand in one word, it would be ‘Boho. ’ Why do we call it that?
It is because, from our short interaction with the label, we found that there is a level of unconventionality attached to their designs that is quite captivating to onlookers. It’s almost like they are presenting something you are conversant with but with a touch of uniqueness that we can’t even describe.
Lukabi is a ready-to-wear brand that has been in existence since 2019. Their attires are created to flatter women of all body types, giving room for inclusivity in all its pieces.
Each of their garment features bright colours and cleanly cut lines that enhance the figure of the wearers. Lukabi is dedicated to bringing out the best in women and making them shine the most colourful they can.
Therefore, the brand’s clothing productions are directed at women who love fashion and enjoy expressing themselves through unique styles. Its mission is also to cater to modern women who desire well-crafted, bespoke attires that embody elegance.
This compelling brand was launched out of the pure passion of a Nigerian fashion designer named Lukman Abioye Ayorinde.
After he graduated in 2017 from professional training at a renowned fashion house called JemiRiana African Fashion, Lukman Ayorinde grew an even bigger appetite for manufacturing not just clothes but clothes that align with the needs of the modern woman.
Within the six years of his brand’s establishment, the brand has made various achievements, including gaining recognition on a few online platforms and in print publications.
Another outstanding fact about this brand is that it still celebrates and preserves the rich medley of African culture while seamlessly blending luxury and versatility in creating its ready-made garments.
Additionally, each year, the brand shows exceptional dedication to its mission by creating unique collections. However, in this article, we will only be dwelling on one of them —the 2022 Iridescence collection.
In the Iridescence collection, we will be critiquing two flamboyant dresses. The dresses in the collection are a representation of simple and elegant. It was solely created to put you in the limelight. With its fit-for-all attributes, a lady in this dress can never go wrong.
The Orea Set
In this first set, Lukman Abioye Ayorinde outdid himself with the design he used. The Orea Set is a two-piece design that comprises a cropped top and a midi-length, high-waisted, flared skirt.
This set was created with top-notch Brocade fabric for that bougie look. The first piece of the set is the corset top, distinguished by an elegant square neckline, followed by two short and slightly puffed sleeves gathered at the hem with an elastic material.
The dress is given a perfect finish with the addition of the mid-waist band, which emphasises the waist curves and a blue rhinestone zipper at the back for closure and ease.
The second piece of this set is the midi-length flared skirt. As described, the skirt is designed to stop somewhere between the knee and the ankle. It is equally given a slightly elaborate A-line flare cut at the waist area, which allows the skirt to maintain a simple but classy appearance.
It is a high-waist skirt, and it starts at the mid-waist area with a belt-like design, which makes the design stand out even more. The most notable thing about this skirt’s design is the extra layer of uniqueness added to the royal blue net fabric.
This was achieved with a curved zigzag ruffle infused on the hip line of the skirt, running down a bit longer than the inner skirt. This feature qualifies the dress to be likened to an A-line ball gown.
The only addition that will be worthwhile to this design will be adding more ruffles to the skirt and making it longer. Doing this will give you that ball gown effect.
For styling, you don’t need to do too much with a design like this. A simple necklace and a bracelet are all that you need, and you are good to go.
Just like the name given to the set implies, the Orea Set symbolises beauty, class, confidence and positivity. All of its combined features make it eligible to be an all-purpose dress.
Due to the detachable feature of the Orea Set, you are at liberty to style it in whatever way you like. A few instances are: you can put on the cropped top as a single piece paired with a high-waist culotte or mermaid skirt, or you can also style the flared skirt with a dark-coloured blouse that complements the colours on the skirt. It’s your choice!
The dress’s features, paired with the perfect combination of colours on the fabric, make it a highly sought-after item. Another shortcoming of the outfit is the skirt’s finishing. The designer can consider whipping the hem of the net part of the skirt and using a similar zipper used on the blouse.
The Zinga Set
Next in line is the Zinga Set. Doesn’t it look so exquisite?
This stylish set was designed to give you that posh look. It’s a two-toned dress specially designed to exude radiance. The Zinga Set was created with navy blue and red silky Mikado fabrics that complement each other.
The Zinga Set is a spirited and vibrant piece that shares a few similarities with the first dress in the collection, like the midi length and square neckline. However, there are still several features that make it distinct.
One of which is that this second set is a gown, unlike the first set, which was a two-piece. We love the way the designer made the dress maintain a simple look, even though a lot of complexities went into creating it. The dress has a square neckline and two puffed sleeves made solely from the red Mikado fabric.
At the décolletage of the dress, an infusion of a cute bow is made from the same red Mikado fabric. It is also at the same point that the merging of both fabrics is achieved.
One design on the dress that is different from most A-line dresses is the side gathers. Designer Lukman included it in the output. It gives the dress the illusion of a full flared skirt when, in actuality, it is of a normal volume. Additionally, decorative gold-plated flat shank buttons are added to the front of the fit, while the back is closed with a silver zipper.
Although the dress can fit into all settings, we would say it is leaning towards being more formal attire than any other setting, and although it is a one-piece dress, it doesn’t give much room for different styling. There are still a few ways to go about it.
Corset extensions and waist leather belts are two accessories you can never go wrong with when trying to style a gown. In the bid to achieve a different look with this dress, you can stick to styling it with either of these accessories or own it in its natural form. Either way, you will look snatched!
Also, looking back, the designer might want to revisit the length and positioning of the back zipper. An adjustment can be done to stop the zipper at the waistline rather than below the hip.
In its entirety, this collection deserves a standing ovation. Commendation goes out to Lukman Abioye Ayorinde for bringing such beautiful designs to the frontline of the fashion industry and for making an impact in the trendy train.
The 2022 Iridescence collection is truly full of distinctive styles. From the detailed patterns and styles chosen for each piece, it is obvious that it is a set of clothing lines that was intentionally made.
Lukman Abioye Ayorinde’s designs capture not only the real essence of confidence and simplicity in fashion but also its depth. His ability to infuse bright colours with sinuous prints and patterns, celebrate cultural richness, and modernise them all at once in his creations is something worth admiring. We say well done for creating detailed designs that are perfect for fashion lovers who want to keep it simple in an unconventional way.
