Nigerian fashion has come a long way since the turn of the century. We’ve seen the rise of several designers who have not shied away from flaunting their Afrocentric designs and therefore succeeded in taking Nigeria ‘9ja’ fashion to the word.
Here are four fashion designers worth mentioning as far as Nigerian fashion is concerned
Folake Folarin Coker
Founder of the renowned Tiffany Amber brand, Folake Folarin Coker is a seasoned fashion designer who gained massive exposure from her schooling in countries like England, Switzerland, and Scotland. Despite bagging a Law degree, Folake ventured into the world of fashion and has since disrupted the Nigerian fashion industry by putting it on the map. She made history in 2008 for becoming the first African fashion designer to showcase her collections at the Mercedes Fashion Week for two consecutive years.
Zizi Cardow
Zizi Cardow has won multiple awards for her impressive works which have been sold both home and abroad. She is the founder of Zizzi, a fashion brand that has since grown to be represented at fashion shows all around the world. She looks up to international brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel which have enjoyed longevity in the industry.
Lola Faturoti
Lola Faturoti’s love for fashion emerged when she was just a child helping her grandmother, who was also a fashion designer. In her words:
“I got interested in fashion because my grandmother was a designer. She designed Nigerian traditional clothes. That was my first introduction to fashion, which I hated because I wanted to be out playing instead of picking out seams!”
She is a New York-based fashion designer who got her big break after designing a dress to celebrate Barack Obama’s election win as president of the United States. Faturoti can be best described as a designer who is not afraid to represent her African heritage through her internationally acclaimed designs.
She buttressed this point when she said:
Everything begins for me with the print and fabric, which usually has some shine.
Amaka Osakwe
For Amaka Osakwe, fashion was always in the picture right form a young age. She is the founder of Maki Oh, a story-driven brand that caters to women of all races and colour. She gained more knowledge about fashion by studying fashion at the Arts University College in Bournemouth, England.
Over the years, she has garnered a good number of clients including the likes of Beyonce, Alek Wek, Lupita Nyong’o, Lady Gaga, Kerry Washington, Solange Knowles, Michelle Obama, and Lee Lee Sobieski.
Featured Image Source: Naija Life Magazine