In Lagos, where every street corner hums with creativity, three siblings are rewriting the language of African luxury. Brothers Lawee isn’t just a fashion label; it’s a movement of memory, artistry, and relentless forward motion.
Long before the first runway sample, the Lawal household was an accidental design studio. Their mother, a seasoned fabric merchant, filled the home with bolts of lace and Ankara prints that shimmered like stained glass.
“Cloth was everywhere, on tables, across chairs, hanging like artwork,” recalls co-founder and fine-art photographer Sanjo Lawal. “It was impossible not to absorb the beauty and the discipline behind it.”
Those early encounters with texture and tradition became the seed of Brothers Lawee: a Lagos-born brand determined to carry the dignity of Yoruba ceremonial fabrics into everyday wardrobes.
Brothers Lawee is a true family affair. Mayowa Lawal steers the creative direction, translating cultural motifs into contemporary silhouettes. Sanjo channels his fine-art eye, honed through international exhibitions, into bold palettes and photographic campaigns. The brothers bring complementary skills in production and strategy, creating a tight-knit team that keeps every detail in motion.
“There’s no corporate hierarchy here,”Mayowa explains. “We debate, we sketch, we cut, we sew. It’s messy and magical because it’s ours.”
The brand’s signature pieces read like love letters to tradition: bomber jackets lined with Aso-oke, sharply tailored trousers cut from champagne-coloured lace, baseball caps edged in hand-dyed Adire. Every collection honours the rituals of old while nodding to global streetwear energy.
“People think ceremonial fabric belongs only to weddings and festivals,” says Sanjo. “We’re proving it belongs on the daily commute, at rooftop parties, in galleries, everywhere life happens.”
Sanjo’s fine-art photography is more than marketing; it’s the brand’s second heartbeat. Many of his celebrated portraits feature the same textiles that appear in Brothers Lawee garments. A lacehead-wrap immortalised in one of his Heavy Is The Head photographs might later re-emerge as a limited-edition jacket lining.
The dialogue between the gallery and the wardrobe gives the label a rare conceptual depth: you can literally wear the art.
Since launching in late 2024, Brothers Lawee has become a quiet phenomenon in Lagos’s creative underground. Their pop-up showcases draw stylists, DJs, and art collectors who crave clothing that tells a story. International press is taking note, and collaborations with African-diaspora designers in London and New York are already in conversation.
Beyond the runways and look books, the Lawal siblings view their work as a form of cultural stewardship. By reimagining ceremonial textiles for contemporary wear, they ensure those traditions remain alive, relevant, and economically sustainable. Local weavers and dyers are production partners, turning each garment into a micro-ecosystem of Nigerian craftsmanship.
The next collection, teased only as Eternal Motion, promises sculptural outerwear and hand-beaded accessories. A travelling exhibition that merges Sanjo’s photography with Brothers Lawee garments is planned for 2026, aiming to blur the lines between art installation and fashion presentation.
Closing Note
Brothers Lawee is proof that heritage isn’t static. In their hands, lace is a manifesto, a passport, and a promise that African luxury will continue to evolve—bold, fearless, and unstoppable.
Discover Brothers Lawee:
Instagram: @brotherslaweee
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