A Night with MODA54: Celebrating African Creativity in London

For Black History Month, MODA54 hosted its first ever event in London, gathering some of our favourite people to celebrate African fashion, beauty, culture and the talent behind it.

Thursday 22 October 2026. Not a networking event, not an influencer dinner. Just a handpicked group of clients, creatives, beauty professionals, tastemakers and industry voices, sitting down together for an evening of African creativity.

Good food, good music, great conversation and a lot of style. In other words, everything MODA54 is about: culture, craftsmanship, community and creative expression.

The gathering

We kept the guest list small and the dress code simple: wear African designers (and yes, we got very excited every time a MODA54 piece walked in). The result? A room full of our favourite pieces, each with its own personal spin.

Guests like Mahina, Dami Opaleye, Jennifer Olaleye, Vanessa Vandepuye, Eno Umoh, Joy Dedeku, Tatyana Tanatswa and Tobi Osho all arrived wearing MODA54, while Zainab wore Pherla Nuba and Bisi Akins wore Wanni Fuga.

Fashion got the conversations going and the cameras out, which is exactly what we hoped for.

African design deserves to be seen, worn and celebrated in rooms like this one.

The details

The evening was planned and styled by Michelle Marbie Davies of @marbieskitchen, who also provided the food. She did an incredible job and we genuinely could not have pulled it off without her.

The look? Florals, romantic details and statement decor, in shades chosen to complement MODA54's signature burgundy. Flowers spilled across the table alongside burgundy styling, candles and statement lighting, and a burgundy draped backdrop made the MODA54 photo wall impossible to miss.

Then there were the place cards. Each one featured a sketch of that guest's own face, a little touch we're still a bit obsessed with. Nobody was just another name on a list.

Dinner was a sit-down three-course affair with food by Michelle, and the menu and place settings got just as much love as everything else.

Fashion, conversation and celebration

The night was hosted from start to finish by Tess, founder of MODA54. She welcomed guests and introduced the purpose of the evening: a celebration of African creativity.

During dinner, Tess hosted an African fashion quiz to test everyone's knowledge of designers, fashion and culture. Fun, interactive, and a great way to keep African fashion at the centre of the table.

A DJ kept the music going from arrivals through dinner and on to the dancing. Guests took turns at the MODA54 photo wall, captured content and got to know one another, and as the night went on, the dancing took over.

Tess closed the evening with a beautiful speech, a reminder of why we all came together.

Our partners

We couldn't have done it without our three brand partners.

Penhaligon's, our fragrance partner, had a representative on hand to introduce guests to the brand and its fragrances. Benefit Cosmetics, our beauty partner, gifted guests Precisely, My Brow pencils. Blank Body Beauty, our body-care partner and a MODA54 brand, contributed body oils.

Everyone went home with a gift bag of Penhaligon's fragrances, Benefit brow pencils and Blank Body Beauty body oils. A little something to remember the night by, and maybe a new favourite or two.

The beginning of something

MODA54 is a place to shop, but it's also a place to discover African designers, get to know their work, meet the wider creative community and celebrate the talent shaping African fashion and culture today.

A Night with MODA54 was our first event, and it felt like the start of something. We can't wait to see where it goes next.

Thank you to everyone who joined us

Lydia Dinga (@lydiadinga), Mahina (@mahinaaq), Dami Opaleye (@dee_opaleye), Jennifer Olaleye (@jenniferolaleye), Chantelle Muneri (@chantellemuneri), Vanessa Vandepuye (@vvbrownskin), Tomi Naomi (@tominaomi), Gbemi Akinde (@beautybygbemii), Sarah Enitan (@sarahs_rails), Zainab (@missyusuff), Eno Umoh (@eno.xo_), Joy Dedeku (@jay_oh_why), Tatyana Tanatswa (@tatyanatanatswa), Bisi Akins (@bissakins), Mowa Osifeso (@mowasmellsgood), Oghosa Ovienroba (@sincerelyoghosa), Andria Asare (@missandria_kub), Tobi Osho (@tobigotdressed) and Tanaka (@tanakatravels).

Planning, styling and food: Michelle Marbie Davies, @marbieskitchen
Photography: Condry Calvin Mlilo, @condrycalvinmlilo