There is no second guessing Nigerian designers hold no bar when it comes to their creative expressions via the clothing medium. They exhibit a stellar comprehension of Africanesque style ethos without losing grip of contemporary appeal in the conveyance of their messages of tasteful fashion inspired by Africa. One of such designers is Osuare who dished awesome goodness on a platter of glam with their SS ’15 collection, “Reflections.” The collection is trés chic and boldly ethnic with its unique aesthetic that makes me once again proud to be associated with Nigerian fashion. I particularly love the allusions to ancient African ancestry with the hand-painted masks and highlights of bead embellishment on the otherwise plain dresses; they added the pizazz which makes the Osuare pieces covetable wardrobe staples.

The consistent originality in the works of many Nigerian designers today shows great promise for the future of the fashion industry on this side of the clime. The way they are able to sleekly establish a connection between tribal nuances and Western influences is one which provokes a certain emotion that is both visual and mind engaging.

Nigerian designers put the same amount of energy in their choice of fabric as much as they do in the designs of a collection. Basically, the fabric has become the basis and the foundation of a collection. Gone are the days when designers pick random fabrics from the textile shop. A great amount of thought is put into the making of a fabric- The texture, the silhouette and the prints are put into consideration; these factors therefore determines the choice of design it is made into.

@osuare and @sashescouture are two designers who practically hand-make their own designs. I like how they can both redesign an existing fabric by putting their personal touch into it. @osuare is no doubt inspired by art and her fabrics are usually done in tie and dye, she makes paintings and drawings of art work on them thus making it look really African. However, I like how she contrasts the African inspired fabrics with the use of western designs. The ability to come up with a red carpet piece in an art work based fabric is pure genius.

@sashescouture is an expert in incorporating two or more Ankara fabrics to make one piece. The creativity behind the use of multi-fabric is not a new trend but not every designer can execute the art perfectly. I like how @sashescouture stealthily makes the “cut-out” of an Ankara piece into another in a way that one can hardly tell it’s a multi-fabric.

Nigerian Designers are more authentic in their designs as a result of what their fabrics represent- it represents African culture and Africans generally identify with the prints.

PHOTO CREDIT: @dejikinpeluphotography
MODEL: @theresaedem
FASHION & HAIR STYLING: @keluspecial
MAKEUP: @tolumakeovers