LFW AW25 - NOSAKHARI - When The Bag Becomes The Icon

Simon Nora-Dreyfus
Mar 29
3 min read

The luxury leather bags and accessories brand Nosakhari, held what was one of the last London Fashion Week’s highlights. Located in Galleria Objets, in the trendy Brick Lane, the exhibition took place quite near from the label's birthplace, Hackney. Just as an elegy to East London.

Emphasising on artistic expression, Nosakhari brought 32 artists for this second edition of Able-graphy, asking them to revisit their emblematic ABLE bag with their creativity. When all promotional strategies seem to have been explored, the fresh London label found a way to stand out in the industry with their concept of ‘Able-Graphy’. Rather than displaying their work – as one would have expected, Nosakhari defied expectations by inviting other artists to create and exhibit, with the sole requirement that their work be connected to the best-selling bag. The brand choose to put the light on emerging designers, sculptors, and painters, largely giving them free rein on their work.

In a corner among the artworks, Kim, one of the 32 visionary talents, was sharing her story to a little crowd.

Kim Potteries’ dazzling interpretation of the crossbody bag is a vibrant ceramic piece, colourful and certainly surrealistic with gigantic flowers escaping from the ABLE bag. Backed by the DJ Latin hit, the artist looked fulfilled, just like her colleague Verona whom she met that night. The event allowed not only artwork but also artists to dialogue. Although joking about the fact that Londoners don't talk to each other in the tube, the pottery designer also wanted to share deeper thoughts, and unveiled to us the meaning of her creation.

Kim’s work is a testament to resilience, shaped by her experience with incurable cancer following a kidney transplant. Inspired by artists like Angus Suttie - whose ceramics faded in colour as he neared death from AIDS - Kim stated that she chose the opposite approach. Refusing to surrender to illness and negativity, she embraces bold colours and energy in what she defines as her self portrait, keeping vibrancy at the heart of her artistic expression. As moved as the audience, Kim said that for now, her art is “a celebration of life.”

With this three-day exhibition, Nosakhari brought the very essence of fashion back. Able-Graphy Volume 2 was all about gathering and celebration of art through art, reminding us that it is what fashion weeks are initially made for. As Nosakhare K Osadolor, Creative Director and Founder of the brand, puts it: "Able-Graphy is more than an exhibition - it's a movement. Volume 2 reaffirmed the power of art to reshape narratives and inspire resilience. Each artist brought a unique perspective, transforming everyday objects into profound statements of creativity and strength."

Seemingly, last year Nosakhari staged a film festival through the theme of “Becoming”, putting creation forward while cleverly mastering the art of communication and story-telling. This led Nosakhari’s founder to create a short film about his background, once again proving his ability to use art as a form of storytelling. Born in Nigeria and based in London, he built the brand without formal fashion or design training. His passion for style began in school, where he noticed how students transformed their uniforms into unique expressions of identity.

Generally, when thinking of timeless hand-bags, it appears that they became so iconic thanks to the emphasis on legacy and a long history of celebrities or first ladies publicly wearing them. Conversely, the ABLE BAG hasn’t been through centuries yet – to say the least. Despite that, the team artificially pushed for this re-interpretation, culminating in a room full of ABLE bags like an obsessed desire, just as if we always knew it. Ultimately, these 32 pieces will be the artistic legacy of the House. Thereby, more than merely solidifying its place, Nosakhari is ingeniously fastening its rise towards establishment in the industry. When attending the opening night, I think many of us acknowledged that something big was budding in the room: that night, a bag became an icon.