AKWA IBOM TO THE WORLD: GIM’S EXCLUSIVE MAKES NIGERIA PROUD AT NOIR FASHION WEEK IN KENYANelson NseAbasi
Nigerian fashion designer and creative entrepreneur, Joel Namnso Thomas,has taken the GIM’S Exclusive brand to another international platform with his participation in the 2026 Noir Fashion Week in Nairobi, Kenya.
The young creative force behind GIM’S Exclusive was among the designers who showcased their works at the fashion event, which brought together fashion practitioners, enthusiasts, business people and other guests from across Africa and beyond.
The Nairobi edition of Noir Fashion Week,held from August 6 to 8 under the theme, “The African Code,” provided a platform for designers to explore African identity, culture, craftsmanship and contemporary fashion. The event also attracted dignitaries,including the Acting South African High Commissioner to Kenya, Ernest Kgopa, alongside personalities from the diplomatic, business and creative communities.
At the showcase held at Shaba Event Café in Nairobi, Thomas presented designs from GIM’S Exclusive, offering the Kenyan audience an expression of his approach to contemporary African fashion.
Established in 2019, GIM’S Exclusive has developed a distinct Afro-metropolitan identity,combining African heritage with modern luxury and high-street fashion.
Joel's work is largely influenced by African storytelling and urban culture, while his design approach also incorporates contemporary trends. His collections are known for bold and elegant pieces that seek to combine cultural expression with modern fashion.
His appearance at Noir Fashion Week adds to a growing list of fashion platforms on which the designer has presented his work. His work first gained significant attention in 2024 when he emerged First Runner-Up in the Arise Runway Show at Uyo Fashion Week. He later achieved national recognition after winning Season 1 of the Inferno Runway Reality TV Show, becoming the show's champion which launched his career into the international fashion space.
In 2025,GIMS made his international runway debut at Brooklyn Fashion Week before showcasing at New York Fashion Week later that year. His work has also received recognition through features in Vogue Runway and other international fashion publications.The designer's latest appearance in Nairobi further exposes GIM’S Exclusive to the African fashion market and creates opportunities for engagement with designers, fashion enthusiasts and other industry players.
Beyond runway appearances,Thomas has continued to build GIM’S Exclusive as a fashion business with ambitions beyond the Nigerian market.His work combines fashion entrepreneurship with his interest in creative expression and African culture. As a Performing Arts student at Akwa Ibom State University,he has continued to draw from his creative background in developing the identity of GIM’S Exclusive.
Joel's journey from Uyo to international fashion platforms has also brought greater attention to the creative talents emerging from Akwa Ibom. With the Noir Fashion Week appearance, GIM’S Exclusive has added Kenya to its growing list of international fashion engagements, following its previous appearances in the United States.