The LLF2026 Awards
Celebrating excellence, craftsmanship, innovation and impact within the African leather industry.
Focus
Excellence & Innovation
Industry
African Leather Ecosystem
The LLF Awards recognise outstanding designers, brands, and innovators who continue to shape the future of leather through creativity, ethical practices, craftsmanship, and transformative impact.
About The Awards
Honouring creativity, craftsmanship, and impact.
The LLF Awards aim to recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation within the leather industry by honouring outstanding designers who have made significant contributions through their work.
The awards highlight creativity, craftsmanship, and impact while promoting the growth and success of leather designers and emphasising the importance of ethical and responsible production practices.
Why Enter?
More than an award.
The LLF Awards are designed to spotlight the unique journeys, achievements, and innovation shaping Africa’s leather industry.
Personal Recognition
Celebrate and recognise the dedication, creativity, craftsmanship, and hard work behind your brand. The Awards provide a platform to honour your contributions to the industry while reinforcing a culture of excellence and innovation.
Industry Recognition
Be evaluated alongside leading designers, brands, and innovators within the leather ecosystem. Being shortlisted or winning signifies true excellence and positions your work among the best in the industry.
Relevance
The LLF Awards serve as a celebration of excellence, recognising the unique journeys, creativity, and impact of individuals and brands within the ecosystem, and provides a meaningful opportunity to showcase achievements, gain visibility, and be honoured among industry peers.
Accessibility
Entries for the Lagos Leather Fair Awards are open and accessible, encouraging participation from emerging and established brands across the leather value chain.
Award Categories
Celebrating excellence across the leather ecosystem.
From craftsmanship and sustainability to digital storytelling and innovation, the LLF2026 Awards recognise the brands and creatives shaping the future of leather.
Men’s Footwear Brand of the Year Award
Recognising a men’s footwear brand that has demonstrated excellence in design, craftsmanship, and market presence while maintaining a strong identity and customer appeal.
Women’s Footwear Brand of the Year Award
Honouring a women’s footwear brand that stands out for creativity, quality, innovation, and the successful blend of style, functionality, and craftsmanship.
Excellence in Artisanal Craftsmanship Award
Celebrating outstanding skill, mastery, and dedication to traditional leather craftsmanship and artisanal excellence.
Handbag Designer of the Year Award
Recognising exceptional creativity, originality, and craftsmanship in handbag design with pieces that resonate across local and global markets.
Best Use of Social Media Award
Acknowledging brands that effectively leverage social media to build visibility, engage audiences, and create impactful digital storytelling.
Emerging Leather Designer of the Year Award
Celebrating rising talents shaping the future of leather design through innovation, fresh perspectives, and remarkable growth.
Brand of the Year Award
Honouring a leather brand that demonstrates excellence across products, services, innovation, customer experience, and market performance.
Leather Changemaker Award
Recognising individuals or brands driving meaningful impact through innovation, leadership, community development, and transformative initiatives.
The Signature Piece Challenge Award
Awarding the most outstanding participant in the Signature Piece Challenge for creativity, originality, and execution.
Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award
Celebrating brands or initiatives committed to sustainable practices, ethical sourcing, responsible production, and environmental consciousness.
Eligibility Criteria
Requirements for nomination.
Nominees must demonstrate excellence in craftsmanship, innovation, professionalism, and contribution to the leather industry.
The nominee must be a practicing leather designer with at least five years of experience in the industry.
The nominee must be of African descent.
The nominee must demonstrate exceptional talent, creativity, and innovation in leather design and production.
The nominee’s work must exhibit high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The nominee should prioritise environmentally sustainable materials and production practices.
The nominee must be willing to participate in promotional and media-related activities connected to the awards.
The nominee’s business name must be registered with the CAC.
The Judging Process
Open, transparent, and digitally driven.
The LLF Awards will have a two-stage judging process. In the first round, you MUST answer all of the questions on the entry form to be shortlisted.
The shortlist will then be deliberated over by our carefully selected panel of industry judges before the awards day.
All judges will sign a non-disclosure agreement. The final decision on winners is made by secret ballot, and no judge leaves the room knowing which brands have won.
The judging process will ensure that the fairest and most robust way of deciding the winners of these important industry awards is maintained through transparency, credibility, and careful evaluation.
Nominations Now Open