“We approached our business with the mind-set that we’re out to show the world a more refined version of African creativity,” says Kolade Adeyemo, a native of Lagos and the co-founder of luxury online retailer OXOSI. He and his business partner, Akin Adebowal, who was also born in Nigeria before moving to Atlanta as a child, hope that the site’s curated selection of pan-African brands will broadcast the continent’s fashion scene to an international audience.

The pair—who operated a boutique creative agency together in New York City before they launched OXOSI in 2016 from an office in SoHo—were inspired to tap into what they call “the billion-dollar sleeping giant that is African fashion” after witnessing a wave of demand for African fashion and design in 2011. They point to Afro-modernism—a contemporary creative reinterpretation of images, ideas and institutions—as a positive force in reframing outdated tropes.

“There were designers producing high-quality art, design and fashion, but we didn’t see a commercial vehicle that we thought could make it an industry,” remembers Akin. So the partners developed their own e-commerce site to serve as a multidisciplinary platform for African creative culture. Boasting a collection of exuberantly patterned suits, eye-catching swimwear and beauty products, OXOSI has offerings from across the continent, from Ghana and Nigeria to Morocco and South Africa. Instead of trying to stock every fledgling fashion designer, the duo approaches retail selection with a more far-reaching vision in mind. They want to define contemporary African fashion on the international stage—a role that comes laden with a responsibility to educate consumers, not only about the fashion industry, but also about the continent and its culture at large.

In that vein, OXOSI has expanded to include videos, photography, a magazine and even a podcast—ASS (African Sex Stories). One video series, Getting Dressed, follows African creatives as they get ready in the morning. It’s simple, intimate and a powerful visual challenge to some of the usual narratives surrounding Africa.

“OXOSI provides an opportunity to learn and connect to Africa in a modern way,” Adeyemo explains. “We’re building more than a fleeting trend. We’re building a legacy that will resonate now and for years to come.”