Hull & East Yorkshire Fashion Week demonstrated the power of partnership: Seguntuyi Onakoya
When people hear the words ‘Fashion Week’, they often think of designer labels, catwalks and celebrity culture. That wasn’t the sole purpose of Hull & East Yorkshire Fashion Week.
Recently, we brought together students, educators, businesses, creative professionals and community organisations for a week-long programme of trade fairs, performances, networking events and runway shows across Hull.
Fashion was at the heart of it, but the bigger objective was to create opportunities, showcase talent and demonstrate what can happen when different sectors work towards a shared goal.
As founder of HOUSEOFTUYI and Hull & East Yorkshire Fashion Week, I was fortunate to witness that collaboration first-hand. The most important lesson from the week was partnership.
In an age where organisations are often focused on their own priorities, there is enormous value in bringing people together around a common purpose.
Hull & East Yorkshire Fashion Week began as a vision. The challenge was turning that vision into reality, and no single organisation could have delivered what we achieved alone.
Businesses, education providers, public sector organisations and creative professionals all recognised the value of working together to create opportunities for others.
East Riding College was a perfect example. More than 60 students gained practical experience across fashion, photography, graphic design, hair and beauty, marketing and event production.
As someone passionate about nurturing future talent, that was incredibly important.
These students were not simply observing; they were contributing, developing skills and gaining real-world experience that can make a genuine difference when starting a career.
We were also fortunate to receive support from organisations including Hull City Council, Future Humber and Visit Hull.
Each partner brought something different, helping create something bigger than any one organisation could achieve alone.
Too often, we separate business from education, education from culture and culture from economic development. In reality, they are all connected.
Businesses need talent. Students need opportunities. Creative professionals need platforms. Regions need investment, confidence and a strong sense of identity.
When those needs align, collaboration becomes a powerful catalyst for growth.
The Humber has a proud history of industry, entrepreneurship and resilience. But we should also recognise the role creativity plays in shaping successful places.
Creative industries contribute to economic growth, attract talent, encourage innovation and help define how a region is perceived.
While we are proud that hundreds of people attended during the week, attendance figures are not what gives me the greatest optimism.
What excites me most is the community beginning to form around a shared belief in the region’s potential.
People invested their time, energy and expertise because they believed in the vision and wanted to contribute. That spirit of collaboration is something we should not take for granted.
As we look ahead, the ambition is to make the event bigger, to strengthen partnerships, create more opportunities and continue building connections between business, education and the creative sector.
We are inviting businesses and organisations to reach out about potential collaborations as we begin plans for 2027.
Because if Hull & East Yorkshire Fashion Week has shown us anything, it is that remarkable things can happen when people come together behind a common purpose.
Seguntuyi Onakoya is the Founder and Creative Director of HOUSEOFTUYI