When Fashion Speaks of Loss: Agbobly’s Emotional Triumph at NYFW by NWO Sparrow

From Grief to Greatness: Agbobly’s Pentagames Brings Healing to NYFW in Brooklyn

This past Tuesday night, September 16, I found myself inside a Brooklyn venue that felt less like a fashion show and more like a memory come to life. Agbobly, in partnership with Nike, presented their latest 2026 collection titled Pentagames as part of New York Fashion Week 2025. I had gone expecting a thirty-minute runway showcase. What I experienced was a living, breathing work of art that brought West Africa to Brooklyn in a way that was both immersive and emotional.

Designer Jacques introduced the collection through a lens of personal tragedy. His brother’s life had been violently taken in what should have been a playful game of youth. In his own words, Jacques reflected on the "competitive and cooperative spirit of childhood play while examining how some are forced to grow up too fast, born into games they never chose to play". It was a sentiment that carried weight in the room. The garments, the staging, even the air itself seemed charged with both grief and hope.

The set, designed by Devin Morris, transformed the Brooklyn space into the streets of a West African village. Walls and structures echoed the textures of lived spaces. Everyday objects that might be dismissed as nothing became sculptures of meaning. The floral installations by Olivee Floral added softness and bursts of color, reminding us that beauty grows even in the face of pain. It felt less like décor and more like a reminder of resilience.

The clothes themselves reflected Jacques’ Togolese heritage and his vision as an indigenous, non-binary immigrant. Agbobly has always been celebrated for vibrant colors, artisanal materiality, and silhouettes that carry a visionary edge. In Pentagames, those qualities were sharpened by vulnerability. Oversized jerseys, normally symbols of youthful fun, were reimagined into powerful, sculptural cuts. They carried the weight of both nostalgia and transformation. Lightweight womenswear floated across the runway, suggesting freedom and lightness in contrast to the heaviness of Jacques’ story.

Stylist Lily Zhang helped shape each look so that the models felt not only dressed but also embodied with meaning. Hair, crafted by Dre Demry-Sanders, was an essential extension of each design, sculpted with intention and precision. The New York Makeup Academy created faces that were bold yet human, grounding the presentation in authenticity. Together, these collaborators elevated Jacques’ vision into a collective work that felt cinematic.

What stood out most to me was how the story lived in the details. A jersey became more than fabric. It became a metaphor for games lost and innocence interrupted. A cut of cloth became a statement about resilience. The models moved not just as carriers of clothes, but as vessels of story. Each stride seemed to carry the tension between loss and celebration, grief and renewal.

As I sat in the audience, I realized how rare it is for fashion to create such intimacy. This was not just about design. It was about healing. Jacques had taken the deepest wound and stitched it into something communal, something that spoke to everyone in the room. It felt as if we were sharing his grief, but also his determination to transform pain into beauty. The crowd responded with reverence. There was no restless shuffling or chatter. The room was quiet, almost prayerful, as if we all knew we were part of something larger. When the final look came down the runway, applause filled the space not only in admiration but in gratitude. We had witnessed vulnerability turned into strength. We had been given art that dared to be honest.

Walking out of the venue, I felt different than when I walked in. I had admired Agbobly from afar, but this show made me a true believer. I was not just a fan of the clothes. I became a fan of the story, of the courage it took to turn heartbreak into a vision that could inspire others. Pentagames is not a collection that will be remembered only for its fashion. It will be remembered for its honesty.

That night, Brooklyn carried the soul of Togo. Agbobly and Nike gave us more than a runway show. They gave us a pathway through grief, a reminder that even in tragedy there is space for creativity, community, and healing. I left with images of oversized jerseys, floral bursts, and village textures etched in my mind. But more importantly, I left with a deeper respect for Jacques and for the way fashion can become something larger than style. Agbobly’s Pentagames was not just a moment of NYFW. It was a declaration that fashion can hold memory, identity, and loss, and still push forward into the future. From grief to greatness, this show was proof that storytelling through fabric is alive and powerful. I came as a viewer, but I walked away as part of Agbobly’s community.

Learn more about Agbobly's creator Jacques here via Youtube

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