Nigerian designer Omosalewa Ogunjimi has been named the Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Africa 2026 Most Commendable Designer, emerging at the top of a highly competitive pan-African field with EXUVIA, a striking exploration of leather, structure and transformation.
Inspired by the human spine, ribcage and the natural process of moulting, EXUVIA explores ideas of resilience, protection and renewal through a bold, sculptural design language. Rather than treating leather simply as a surface or decorative material, Ogunjimi makes it part of the garment’s architecture, using modular construction to create a design capable of transformation and multiple expressions.
The result is a proposition that brings together storytelling, functionality and material experimentation, qualities that distinguished EXUVIA through the final stages of the competition and earned Ogunjimi the honour of representing Africa at the international RLSD competition in Bangkok, Thailand, from 27–29 October 2026.
For Ogunjimi, EXUVIA is also an expression of an increasingly distinctive personal design language.
“EXUVIA is a reflection of my design language where structure, functionality and storytelling come together to create something distinct. I’m honoured to carry this work forward and represent Africa on the global stage,” she said.
FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION
Now in its fourth year in Africa and sixth globally, Real Leather. Stay Different. challenges emerging designers, creatives and design students to rethink what leather can become and explore its creative, sustainable and commercial possibilities.
The 2026 Africa edition attracted hundreds of designers from more than 12 African countries. Following successive stages of evaluation, just 15 designers advanced to the final stage, representing Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Uganda across Apparel, Accessories and Footwear.
For the finalists, reaching the final stage was only the beginning. Their challenge was to take an idea beyond the page and prove it in the physical world, turning research into sketches, sketches into concepts, concepts into prototypes, and prototypes into real, functional products. Each completed design was presented before an international panel of six industry judges and assessed against five defining criteria: Individuality, Conceptualisation, Relevance, Sustainability and Commerciality.
It was here that EXUVIA made its mark. Lead Judge Preston Viswamo described the concept as “spectacular” and Ogunjimi’s work as “really outstanding,” commending her creativity, modular design development and prototyping. He also highlighted the strength of its sustainability proposition and its potential for commercialisation.
The assessment captured the central challenge of RLSD Africa: to create work that goes beyond visual impact and connects originality, craftsmanship, responsible material thinking, functionality and commercial possibility.Following the final presentations and judging, Omosalewa Ogunjimi emerged as the RLSD Africa 2026 Most Commendable Designer.
AFRICA’S DESIGN TALENT STEPS FORWARD
Ogunjimi’s achievement came from an especially competitive Apparel field, where three of the five finalists, Omosalewa Ogunjimi, Clara Udegbe and Emeka Oguejiofor, were from Nigeria, reflecting the depth of emerging design talent coming through the continent.
But the story extends beyond one country or one winner. Over four years, RLSD Africa has evolved beyond a competition into a continental platform connecting creativity, craftsmanship, sustainability and commercial opportunity. It is discovering and nurturing a new generation of African designers while creating pathways for their ideas to move from concept and workshop to continental and international audiences.
The programme forms part of the global Real Leather. Stay Different. movement, which champions leather and other natural materials, promotes the responsible use of hides arising as by-products of the meat and dairy industries, and challenges the culture of disposable fast fashion.
Positioning leather as a material of choice for a more sustainable future, Real Leather. Stay Different. has grown into a global movement with significant reach and influence. In 2025 alone, the campaign reached an extraordinary 750 million people worldwide, amplifying the conversation around responsible material choices, slow fashion and products designed to last.
The ambition goes beyond producing competition winners. It is to cultivate a growing network of African design ambassadors capable of advancing responsible design, building sustainable businesses and strengthening Africa’s place in the global design conversation.
As the RLSD Africa 2026 Most Commendable Designer, Ogunjimi will carry EXUVIA and the continental title to Bangkok, Thailand, from 27–29 October 2026, where her work will join designs emerging from other regions of the world on the international RLSD stage.
The RLSD Africa journey will return to the continent in November, when all 15 finalists reunite in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the RLSD Africa 2026 Continental Showcase, where the remaining category winners will be officially unveiled.
