MAZZI ODU: “IN LAGOS EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE”
Writer, cultural critic, and passionate advocate for African creativity, Mazzi Odu is one of the most compelling voices shaping the narrative around fashion, design, and identity on the African continent. Whether through her longform blog Magnus Oculus, her contributions to Vogue and Wallpaper, or her growing work in children’s literature, she consistently shines a light on talent, before the world catches on. We met her in Lagos, where her life, like the city itself, is constantly in motion.
How did your journey as a writer begin?
I’ve always loved storytelling, even as a child. But my first published work was quite unexpected: it was called Heaven in Your Handbag, A Devotional for The Modern Woman. It was like throwing Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas and Carrie Bradshaw into a blender! That came out in 2007, after my master’s degree. Then I went into a more conventional path: I worked in marketing communications for a bank, first in the UK, then I moved to Nigeria in 2009 for a job.
I’ve always loved storytelling, even as a child. But my first published work was quite unexpected: it was called Heaven in Your Handbag, A Devotional for The Modern Woman. It was like throwing Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas and Carrie Bradshaw into a blender! That came out in 2007, after my master’s degree. Then I went into a more conventional path: I worked in marketing communications for a bank, first in the UK, then I moved to Nigeria in 2009 for a job.
What was your first impression of Lagos?
Complete sensory overload. The volume! I remember stepping off the plane and thinking, “Is this a riot?” But it wasn’t… People were loud, but friendly. Coming from East Africa, where people are more reserved, that contrast hit me. And then the heat, the colors, the texture of the city. From the bright yellow buses to traditional fabrics like adire, Lagos forces all of your senses to engage.
Complete sensory overload. The volume! I remember stepping off the plane and thinking, “Is this a riot?” But it wasn’t… People were loud, but friendly. Coming from East Africa, where people are more reserved, that contrast hit me. And then the heat, the colors, the texture of the city. From the bright yellow buses to traditional fabrics like adire, Lagos forces all of your senses to engage.
Is it where fashion became more central to your work?
Definitely. I’ve always loved clothes and craftsmanship. My mum was a model back in the day, and she had an incredible jewelry collection. But Lagos was a turning point. I started noticing designers like Lisa Folawiyo and Tiffany Amber, and when I eventually returned to London, I pitched a piece to Harper’s Bazaar in 2012 profiling five African designers. This was before all the current interest in African fashion. That article marked a real shift for me.
Definitely. I’ve always loved clothes and craftsmanship. My mum was a model back in the day, and she had an incredible jewelry collection. But Lagos was a turning point. I started noticing designers like Lisa Folawiyo and Tiffany Amber, and when I eventually returned to London, I pitched a piece to Harper’s Bazaar in 2012 profiling five African designers. This was before all the current interest in African fashion. That article marked a real shift for me.
YWas that also when you launched your blog, Magnus Oculus?
Yes, around 2016. I was tired of the short, 200-word format in fashion magazines. I wanted space to really explore creators’ philosophies, practices, and contradictions. The blog allowed me to go deep:3,000-word profiles, long interviews. And it worked! People started reading, and commissions came in. I’ve since written for US Vogue, British Vogue, Wallpaper, Elle…
Yes, around 2016. I was tired of the short, 200-word format in fashion magazines. I wanted space to really explore creators’ philosophies, practices, and contradictions. The blog allowed me to go deep:3,000-word profiles, long interviews. And it worked! People started reading, and commissions came in. I’ve since written for US Vogue, British Vogue, Wallpaper, Elle…
You’ve become a kind of talent scout: many of the designers you profile go on to international success.
It’s true! Kenneth Ize, Tokyo James, Lagos Space Programme… I featured them on Magnus Oculus, and then they became LVMH or CFDA finalists! I joke that I write about them before they blow up. But really, I see my role as amplification, using my access and platform to highlight what's great.
It’s true! Kenneth Ize, Tokyo James, Lagos Space Programme… I featured them on Magnus Oculus, and then they became LVMH or CFDA finalists! I joke that I write about them before they blow up. But really, I see my role as amplification, using my access and platform to highlight what's great.
How would you describe Lagos?
It’s like New York in that people come from everywhere with wild backstories. But once you’re here, you’re fully invested. It’s a city of velocity and transformation. If Lagos were an outfit, it would be something dramatic, unapologetic…a riot of colour or a bold silhouette. It commands the room.
It’s like New York in that people come from everywhere with wild backstories. But once you’re here, you’re fully invested. It’s a city of velocity and transformation. If Lagos were an outfit, it would be something dramatic, unapologetic…a riot of colour or a bold silhouette. It commands the room.
You're also closely connected to the culinary scene. What’s happening here right now?
In the past few years, a wave of Nigerian chefs returned after training abroad. Michael Elegbede, for instance, worked at Eleven Madison Park and The French Laundry before launching Ìtàn Test Kitchen in Lagos, where even Naomi Campbell and Kehinde Wiley have dined. It’s elevated Nigerian cuisine: reimagined, seasonal, rooted in heritage. The street food scene is evolving too. Like fashion or literature, food culture here is dynamic and alive.
In the past few years, a wave of Nigerian chefs returned after training abroad. Michael Elegbede, for instance, worked at Eleven Madison Park and The French Laundry before launching Ìtàn Test Kitchen in Lagos, where even Naomi Campbell and Kehinde Wiley have dined. It’s elevated Nigerian cuisine: reimagined, seasonal, rooted in heritage. The street food scene is evolving too. Like fashion or literature, food culture here is dynamic and alive.
Do you think Nigerian fashion is finally getting global recognition?
We’ve had breakout stars. Tokyo James showed in Milan, Kenneth Ize in Paris. Victor Anate of Vicnate is in high demand: Iman DMed him, Sabrina Elba wore him, Yvonne Orji too! He doesn’t even have a showroom in Paris or London; people just find him. That’s the magic of Lagos.
We’ve had breakout stars. Tokyo James showed in Milan, Kenneth Ize in Paris. Victor Anate of Vicnate is in high demand: Iman DMed him, Sabrina Elba wore him, Yvonne Orji too! He doesn’t even have a showroom in Paris or London; people just find him. That’s the magic of Lagos.
What advice would you give a young designer in Lagos today?
Have a clear point of view. Don’t imitate others; draw from your own story. The strongest brands, like Jacquemus or JW Anderson, create entire universes. You should too. Don’t chase virality; build something real, something that resonates.
Have a clear point of view. Don’t imitate others; draw from your own story. The strongest brands, like Jacquemus or JW Anderson, create entire universes. You should too. Don’t chase virality; build something real, something that resonates.
What your favourite places in Lagos?
Definitely 16 by 16. It’s a not-so-secret members club with a beautiful veranda overlooking the creek, zero-waste cocktails, rooms designed by Nigerian creatives. It’s calm, immersive. And then Ilashe Beach, for when you need to reconnect with the ocean and just breathe.
Definitely 16 by 16. It’s a not-so-secret members club with a beautiful veranda overlooking the creek, zero-waste cocktails, rooms designed by Nigerian creatives. It’s calm, immersive. And then Ilashe Beach, for when you need to reconnect with the ocean and just breathe.
What are you working on now?
I just published a children’s book called Get Rid of Your Phone, Mummy, inspired by life in Lagos. And I’m still writing about Nigerian jewellery: designers using everything from recycled brass to fine gemstones, often with cultural symbolism. I love how luxury here is being reframed through our own gaze.
I just published a children’s book called Get Rid of Your Phone, Mummy, inspired by life in Lagos. And I’m still writing about Nigerian jewellery: designers using everything from recycled brass to fine gemstones, often with cultural symbolism. I love how luxury here is being reframed through our own gaze.
Mazzi Odu’s latest children’s book, Get Rid of Your Phone, Mummy, is available now. Her longform blog exploring African fashion, design and jewellery is online at:
magnusoculus.com
@mazziodu
magnusoculus.com
@mazziodu
Photos by Morgan Otagburuagu
Originally published in CITY MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL #1