Nigeria, May 12 -- The AMVCAs have become a spectacle of fashion ambition, where red carpets shine with drama, culture, and couture-level creativity. Social media timelines light up. Hashtags trend. Celebrities pose in outfits inspired by galaxies, African royalty, folklore, and fantasy. And for a moment, it feels like Nigerian fashion is winning.

But what if this growth we're celebrating is only happening on the surface?

What if the red carpet isn't proof of progress, but a stage for a kind of performance that hides how fragile the fashion ecosystem still is, especially for the designers, tailors, and artisans behind the scenes?

Let's be honest. Many of the elaborate outfits we saw at the AMVCAs this year - sculpted looks, extravagant...