With its modern architecture, a red and black cube, Alára, West Africa's first luxury fashion and decor concept store, stands out in the landscape of Lagos, the Nigerian megalopolis. Founded ten years ago by Nigerian Reni Folawiyo, it has established itself as a temple of "Afro-luxury."

"Alára is my perspective and my vision of what a celebration of Africa looks like," says the 60-year-old businesswoman, wearing rose-tinted sunglasses.

The building, which reproduces the patterns of adire, a traditional Nigerian fabric, embodies this "play between tradition and modernity" that is dear to him and the boutique offers creations mixing African designers and major Western brands, decorative objects and books.

Inside, with its chic simplicity, black walls and white concrete staircase, the creations are displayed like works of art, at various prices, but out of reach of the vast majority of the Nigerian population, half of whom live in poverty according to the World Bank.

A green dress from Nigerian brand Eki Kere retails for 325,000 naira ($211) alongside a multi-colored dress from designer Onalaja for 2.3 million naira ($1,500).

Next door, a 290,000 naira pottery from South African brand Sandile B Cele sits on a 3 million naira ($2,000) table from the Senegalese-Nigerian Salù Iwadi Studio.

A lawyer by training, wife of millionaire Tunde Folawiyo and daughter of a prominent jurist, Lateef Adegbite, Reni Folawiyo has become a key figure in the world of fashion and design in Africa over the last decade.

She says she wanted to create a "tool," more than just a boutique, capable of increasing the visibility of Afro-luxury beyond Africa and reaching a wider audience, after having "struggled" to convince "her partners of the relevance of her project," more than ten years ago.

Promoting creators and know-how

Her passion for fashion and design is rooted in her Yoruba culture, rich in traditional fabrics, vibrant colors, symbolic jewelry, and lavish ceremonies. Her extensive travels throughout Africa have also informed her.

Senegal impressed her with its "raw design," Ivory Coast with the "sophistication" of its craftsmanship, and southwest Nigeria, where she grew up, with "its creative energy."

"Many of the beautiful things that people made in different parts of Africa were not showcased as I think they should have been," she laments, adding that their cultural richness was often overshadowed by objects from other continents.

In Nigeria, one of Africa's leading economies, where an elite of wealthy oil and gas players coexists with the extreme poverty of a large part of the population, the entrepreneur defends a luxury that draws its wealth from artisanal know-how.

“Much of our know-how, creativity and heritage is found in our rural areas,” adds Reni Folawiyo.

Behind the shop, located on Victoria Island, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Lagos, Reni Folawiyo has opened NOK, a contemporary African restaurant, whose menu was designed by Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam.

Crossing borders

And nothing pleases the woman some Lagos designers have nicknamed "the daring one" more than when African designers make themselves known outside the continent, during prestigious events, notably thanks to certain Nigerian music stars acting as ambassadors.

At the exclusive Met Gala in New York last May, Afrobeats superstars Tems, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr were dressed by British-Ghanaian designer Ozwald Boateng.

Ms. Folawiyo has begun collaborations with partners outside the continent, such as the Brooklyn Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the United States.

"We believe that the best way to give designers visibility outside of Africa right now is to partner with recognized and respected institutions," she explains.

Reni Folawiyo also organizes fashion shows abroad, such as CARIFESTA XV in Barbados at the end of August.

According to her, the future of African luxury rests on a balance between "creativity", "solid structure" and "transmission of knowledge to future generations".