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Where Is Nigeria’s Style Signature?

The Nigerian fashion design scene is growing rapidly. Although a young industry, an increasing number of fashion designers are springing up along with nouvelle designs and aesthetics. These, in turn, are moving the industry towards a positive end with an international acceptance for its dynamism and afro-western hybridized ensembles. In fashion, there are always signature…

The Nigerian fashion design scene is growing rapidly. Although a young industry, an increasing number of fashion designers are springing up along with nouvelle designs and aesthetics. These, in turn, are moving the industry towards a positive end with an international acceptance for its dynamism and afro-western hybridized ensembles. In fashion, there are always signature styles or pieces that are specific to certain locations. For instance, the French are known for their chic, edgy and gender ambiguous clothing mash-ups and the Italians’ take on classy, elegant and luxurious fashion for both genders flourishes through their style options. These signatures are like aged traditions passed down to the present from time immemorial and are still very key in these locations.

Putting the Nigerian fashion scene under the lens of fashion location peculiarities, we ask if we have fashion signatures of our own. Finding an answer to that question is a little difficult to give spot on. However, a quick analysis might aid in arriving at a response.

The Past.

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Nigerian fashion before now was more of a tribal affair; an appreciation of the multi-cultural geography of the country. In the past, fashion differed based on the predominance of a tribe in a particular region and this gave an unmistakable identification of Nigerian fashion by outsiders. Judging from the past, we could say that Nigerian fashion had heavy tribal and regional style signatures. These were undoubtedly fashion signatures peculiar to the country at the time.

The Present.

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Currently, Nigerian fashion is hybridized; a blend of African fabrics or motifs with western tailoring and aesthetics. This movement has played a huge role in the acceptance of pieces from Nigeria in the global market, but has also reduced the peculiarities of the past to a large extent. Now, the tribal and regional peculiarities of Nigerian fashion are almost only evident in the fabric of choice for a particular design – be it Adire, Aso-Oke or general African Wax Prints. These days, we tend to get the feel of tribal Nigerian fashion mostly at weddings or traditional functions and they have become rather scarce in everyday Nigerian fashion which has been taken over by western outfits.

In relating the past and the present state of Nigerian fashion, the present is not guarding the native fashion traditions of the past. We have very few designers selling the Nigerian tribal clothes that were once our style signature the world and they are far outnumbered by the Western-influenced designer populace. These westernized renditions are still yet to have an advanced Nigerian touch to the fabrication of these pieces that cannot be gotten anywhere else.

Taking all this into consideration, it is safe to say that the Nigerian style signature is currently non-existent. Nigerian fashion used to have some uniqueness in the past, but those things that made our style peculiar are lost to western influences. The analysis above doesn’t speak of the future of Nigerian fashion as that is the only time that offers us a chance to bring back the glory that is slowly being dampened as time passes.

We as Nigerians had and always will have a style signature, but showcasing it to the world in its full glory and glamour is what we must strive to do. Nigerian fashion may become more of a fashion landmark and less of a tag for Nigerians in the world of fashion thereby giving a renaissance to the peculiarities that were; never to be replaced by borrowed influences again.

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