How Mhenase Touch is Rebranding Aso-oke for the UK Creative Hub

Mhenase Touch, a brand created by Amenawon Monica Okoh is a womenswear brand dedicated to designing garments that nurture confidence, identity, and wellbeing. Each piece is created with intention, celebrating individuality and inviting women to feel grounded, expressive, and fully seen.

Beyond fashion, the brand extends into creativity and learning, using design as a tool for skill building and self expression. Mhenase Touch creates opportunities for young women to explore their potential in positive and meaningful ways, encouraging growth, independence, and a lasting relationship with their creative voice.

Mhenase Touch was established in Benin city, Nigeria since 2014, now based in manchester united-kingdom. The brand most recent collection Obìnrin have received an impressive amount of attention back home in nigeria and quite interesting in the united kingdom. The brand is becoming quite a signature name mostly identified with this heritage Aso-oke fabric carefully adorned to maintain a detailed symmetric look.

In this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE-KORIEOCHA, Amenawon Monica Okoh, reveals how her journey from Nigeria to the United Kingdom has sharpened her technical mastery and her commitment to a “zero-waste” philosophy. From the architectural precision of the Ogechi Dress to her vision for cross-continental collaboration, Okoh proves that fashion is more than a garment; it is a vehicle for skill-building, self-expression, and the preservation of a luxurious African legacy. As she positions Mhenase Touch at the intersection of heritage and innovation, she isn’t just designing a collection, she is weaving a new narrative for the global African diaspora.

What is the cultural inspiration behind this new collection, and how do you think it challenge current industry aesthetics?

As a contemporary women’s brand championing intentional craft, I make it a point of duty to use ethical sourced fabrics from local Artisans mostly across western abeokuta and Osogbo in osun Nigeria. My intention being to preserve our local richness in fabric texture while also maintaining and controlling quality output to customers as oppose to the fast fashion which has become paramount in the industry of study. I think we need more considered approach and intention with our outfits.

As an emerging designer, how would you say your current collection show progress compared to your previous work?

As I build an intentional brand, I have harnessed and taken considered and advanced skills from reputable institutions on pattern cutting to improve my technical skills, I have also developed my knowledge of fabric sourcing by attending some fashion trade conventions and events, as you know you never stop developing your skillset and understanding in this industry.

I also have adapted a streamlined color palette intended to make the brand and piece easily identifiable and defined.

Is there an outfit in this collection, that You consider to be the “key” piece that defines your brand’s future direction?

The Ogechi dress is my favorite piece from the collection because it portrays the direction and approach our brand is taking in terms of silhouette and cutting edge details. The details portrayed on the outfit is a clear reflection of our style direction.

We believe that Sustainability is crucial to the future of fashion. Tell us how this collection employs sustainable practises, if it does?

As I earlier mentioned, The fabric are carefully sourced locally from western Nigeria, i believe that we have the best and most luxurious fabric, as this pieces are handmade by local artisans making sure that manufacturing is localized, the threads are intentionally weaved together, the result is reduced waste, and ethically sourced material used in all the outfits.

I believe that fashion today should be responsible and I am trying to show that in the output I produce.

Tell us how you have integrated digital technology into either the process of your collection with with creation, marketing, or consumption of this collection?

Social media has come full circle and although I don’t feel I am taking great advantage of digital technology, however I am utilizing social media in marketing the outfits and designs, I also fully utilize Clo 3D in prototyping virtual variation of the designs to ensure clarity, learned through YouTube I have come to embrace it as it helps to reduce waste and optimize productivity when from ideation down to the full outfit.

What has been the response to your work internationally, and where have you seen the strongest demand for your brand?

My graduate collection and my first independent collection afterwards has been featured in numerous online media including FF channel, London runway magazine, amongst other channels. My fashion collection have also been worn in Morocco, Ghana, Nigerian, and Ireland.

How do you see your brand contributing to the UK fashion community?

One word cross-collaboration.

As regards contribution we intend to collaborate with local uk Artisans , Artist and creatives. The brand is based in Manchester which is one of the major fashion-centric city and also a massive creative hub with a lot of young people including students in colleges and universities, this poses an opportunity for growth, collaboration.

As it is also home to a lot of institutions and diverse cultures, this is gold for my brand. Positioning the brand at a very pivotal place to excel and grow through intentional collaborative effort . There are massive opportunities to contribute and develop and I intend to take full advantage of them.