Nigeria’s Lani Adeoye wins design contest in Italy.

Caroline Ameh.

Nigerian -Canadian designer, Lani Adeoye, has won the first prize at Milan’s Salone Satellite Exhibition. The competition had 600 designers participate from over 48 countries and she received first place for Nigeria.

Adeoye designed a luxurious 10-piece lighting and furniture collection called EKAABO Collection, all handmade entirely in Nigeria and shipped to Italy. This ambitious venture was executed with the support of LGK Foundation, VFD Group, NorthWest Petroleum and Gas Co Ltd,Mystosw Ltd, Talent X, Reni Folawiyo and EI Anatsui.

The collection celebrates Nigerian culture through contemporary lenses. Adeoye’s works have been featured internationally and are being collected by museums from Canada to Germany.

Among her luxurious exhibition pieces are three futuristic hanging metal lights, an Aso-Oke and bronze Oba chair, a woven leather chaise lounger, an embellished ottoman and two mixed media side tables.

For the award section, titled Design for our Future Selves, she produced a dignified walker called RemX inspired by her Grandfather (Remi).

Salone Satellite is a prestigious design competition for designers under 35 across the world. It is a platform under Italy’s Salone del Mobil, which just celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Salone del Mobile receives 400,000 global visitors, showcases over 2,300 creative companies and welcomes 5,000 journalists in Milan.