Tolu Coker’s Spring Summer 2025 collection, showcased at London Fashion Week, was a personal homage to her mother, Olapeju. Photographer Stencer Saintelange captured backstage moments at the Tolu Coker Spring Summer 25 show, exclusively for DSCENE Magazine. Coker drew on memories of her mother as her earliest style icon, including in the collection influences from the ’60s and ’70s, including pleated miniskirts and vibrant pops of yellow and lime green. The designer’s exploration of boldness during this era reflects a shift in women’s roles, particularly within African diasporic communities.
BACKSTAGE
The collection’s visual inspiration extended beyond fashion to domestic life, incorporating graphic prints based on ’70s wallpaper and photographs her late father took in North Kensington. These images documented the immigrant experience, further emphasizing the narrative of cultural resilience and the often-overlooked role of women in community-building during that time.
Coker’s attention to detail manifested in a show that felt both intimate and grand. The set design evoked a 1960s living room, complete with vintage furniture. The designer’s mother sat front row, proudly watching her daughter’s ode to the women who shaped her upbringing. Take a closer look at the backstage moments at Tolu Coker Spring Summer 25 show in the Gallery below:
