Tokyo James’s latest runway show at Milan Fashion Week was a picture of cross-cultural elegance. The label—founded in 2015 and named for its creative director, Iniye Tokyo James—embodies a cosmopolitan meeting of influences, and its new Spring/Summer collection, Chaos, transforms that union into a refined rebellion. There is much to rage against these days. The attempted erasure of diversity and the disenfranchisement of marginalized cultures have become harsh new realities—ones that must be challenged. Tokyo James chooses to fight fire with desire, showcasing pieces that epitomize the strength born from diversity.

Though the collection embraces the necessity of chaos to inspire creativity, it finds harmony in contrasts, tracing a deliberate route from London to Lagos and translating lived experience into couture precision. From a structured leather jacket with shredded panels paired with a floor-length skirt to a cloud-like ruffle mini-dress trimmed in burnt sienna, these looks give a glimpse into James’s jet-setting, multi-country existence. The collection’s cuts and proportions deliberately map his movement between worlds, his refusal of boundaries and his borderless vision for fashion’s next era.

Moments after the SS26 show—staged in a city still reflecting on the passing of Giorgio Armani and the uncertain tides at Versace, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Jil Sander—3 sat down with Iniye Tokyo James to explore the prophecies and processes behind Chaos.

Today, your mother told us that you would marvel at her headgear when you were a young man. What are your first recollections of your mother’s glamour?

The most memorable situation was one of my grandfather’s birthdays. She had this elaborate gele—an African head tie that many women wear. My mom doesn’t like plain ones‚ which are common. She took hers to somebody to get it beaded intricately on top of the patterns. It was black on black with silver and red embroidered, beaded pieces all over it—and it stood out. It was like a halo moment for her and a message for me. I remember thinking, “Okay, I get it. This is what I want to do: say something with clothes.”

Let’s talk about your multiple backgrounds—personal, professional and cultural. Which do you feel stand out in your current work?

I think of London, where I was born and raised. I spent my time in different pockets of London, so my view of the city is eclectic—different ethnicities everywhere. I witnessed individuality daily. Then, I spent a lot of time in Milan. Italians are bold—they mix chic with experimental. That is inspiring. 

How does your family hailing from different parts of the world give you an upper hand?

We are literally all over the map. My mom was born in Britain. My dad was born in Brussels. My granddad and grandmother emigrated from Nigeria—they lived between Ibadan and Lagos. So the type of fabrics we choose [at Tokyo James] are from a mixed geography.

For this collection, which materials interpolate parts of those cultures?

The dry lace in our collection is exciting for us because it’s used every day in Lagos, Nigeria. There are different levels and grades of it. Ours is structured—it’s a very Yoruba fabric. Kings wear it in Yoruba land. It’s a thing when you see a king dress in dry lace because of how regal it looks. The beauty of working with this heritage is being able to interpret nobility into a modern aesthetic. It’s like translating.

This new collection was created in Nigeria. How did that environment help you sketch, draft, drape and create?

This collection would not have happened without the support of a creative outfit in Lagos called Nahous. It’s a new creative hub—like Fashion East—but on a bigger scale. In one [place], it nurtures fashion designers, musicians, artists, painters, sculptors and even people who are experimenting and developing futuristic gastronomy. 

What would a typical day in that cross-cultural laboratory involve? Would you sample the cuisine made by chefs between dreaming up designs?

Oh yes. That space allows ideas to cross over freely. There’s a very specific dish from Niger called amala. I had it with a twist on akara, which is a type of bean cake. Then, the next day, I had a version of spaghetti Bolognese.

What inspired you to mix so many materials in this collection?

I was living within that intersectionality between food and fashion in Lagos, so the rawness and elegance of the space seeped into my design thinking. In Nahous, you could see the high pins of the air ducts. The walls are not finished smoothing, but they’re polished. That surrounding informed the clothing.

When you speak about intersecting, which new pieces come to mind?

Five leather pieces and one beaded piece. A brown leather jacket, which had the leather ropes meshed together into the garment. For me, that signified a global mix of fashion, music and art. That intertwining was key for me.

How did that concept travel into other pieces?

The red pants with white fringes. When they came out on the runway, they moved together. The leopard print trousers with beaded legs were part of the composition that I was going for. If you turned down the music of the show, you could hear the model walk in them and the materials mix against one another.

Let’s talk about the music you chose for your runway. It clattered and reverberated.

That sound was chaos. Lagos is a beautiful chaos. Beauty and change are always there. It shouldn’t work, but it works. The everyday hustle and bustle of Lagos becomes symphonic. It’s everybody kind of beating a drum—aspects of people wanting to succeed and develop, and a country in growth and in movement. It’s a small island but there are 30 million people.

Michelle Francine Ngonmo and the Afro Fashion Association (AFA) have been such champions of your work. Tell us about how that organization is moving the needle in Italy and beyond.

It’s the voice of unheard, talented creatives. By leading the charge with initiatives like the Black Carpet Awards and Afro Fashion Week, it has created a platform. It is now the voice of the people that have not had the ability to enter rooms. 

What do you think of the legacy in Milan and the changing of the guard between Versace, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Armani?

The only thing constant in life is change. I think it’s something we should expect and embrace. Even with those houses, transformation can be exciting. 

Who was the first designer that you remember seeing that changed your way of thinking?

Alexander McQueen. His snake print collection—that was it for me. It was not conventional. He didn’t care about the fashion industry. The theatrics sold the show. He played with art but the work was wearable. The crab heels in the collection, I could picture wearing them with a pair of jeans. The snake print dress that he made, I—or the girls—could wear it to a club, a party, a night out, or it could be on exhibit in a museum. There were so many points of entry.

What is the next chapter for Tokyo James?

Lagos is the next step for us. We’re exhibiting five of the beautiful looks in Nahous during Lagos Fashion Week. All I need to say is watch that space. The world is going to gag, and I don’t say that about a lot of things. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.