hould we all just online shop together for a moment?” Melbourne-based artist Atong Atem and Nigerian designer Adeju Thompson laugh when I propose this over video call. Just two hours earlier, Thompson, the founder and creative director of Lagos Space Programme, had launched the non-binary fashion label's first ecommerce site. “Oh, I love the blue!” exclaims Atem. Her one-year-old son, Isagani, is resting his head on her shoulder, and turns to gurgle at the camera. Atem and Thompson are two creatives with formidable schedules, but they've carved out one precious hour for a tête-àtête. Both are showcasing their works in the National Gallery of Victoria's (NGV) upcoming exhibition , the most comprehensive exhibition of fashion from the continent ever presented in Australia. Originally curated and shown in London's Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), the NGV's latest blockbuster features more than 200 ready-to-wear designs, couture pieces, body adornments and photographic portraits from both museums’ collections, as well as the exhibitors’ personal archives. The aim is to demonstrate the staggering diversity of Africa's culture – one tied to the continent's
