Fashion and fine art have long existed in parallel creative realms, despite being interwoven with layers of history, culture, and self-expression, creating debates on if they’re one. Considering fashion as art represents a departure from the practical aspect of clothing and delves into aestheticism, emotion, and storytelling.
A deeper look would see that African fashion has always been deeply rooted in fine arts. The diverse tapestry of colors and delicate designs painted by the artisan directly on fabric are reminiscent of painters on canvas. Clothes went beyond mere garments; they were a means of self-expression reflecting our culture and collective identity. But modernity knocked, and we exchanged our cowries for pearl necklaces. Batiks and raffias were left for dead in a market of unfazed modernists.
However, in recent years, there’s been a notable emergence of artists that converge the realms of ancient African fine art and fashion with modern designs. These designers observe and nurture sparks of inspiration, consciously or subliminally, from basic and forgotten cultural relics. Through their creative expressions and an antithesis of convention, these designers make bold artistic statements that blur the lines between traditional fashion and contemporary art pieces.
With this, a universal language is born, one that transcends cultural boundaries, and not only are they crafting wearable artworks, but their garments are also weaved with stories and messages that speak of ancient customs, traditions, and beliefs.
In the most literal form, the relationship between Nigerian culture and fashion can be seen in Isigo’s AW22 ‘I Am Not Myself’ collection, which reimagines masquerades’ costumes as a handwoven cotton-based jacket. Passing a strong message of archaeological ideologies and ethnic identities, Bubu Ogisi’s designs are a testament to the unparalleled artistry and emotive power of fashion. The artist also explores bronze jewelry, upcycled textiles, and intricate design techniques learned from other African countries.
Beyond innovating African relics, a common perspective is intertwining African prints into Western culture.
Western culture has become an integral part of our identity. Rather than reject modernism, designers like Kenneth Ize embrace and deftly weave together elements of our traditional pieces with Western influences. Through this fusion, unique contemporary pieces like Kenneth Ize’s avant-garde SS 2020 suit, born out of reinvention to traditional materials like aso-oke, Ituen Basi handmade indigo adire kimono, and the tribal-marks-inspired embroidered motif dress show that when fashion meets intent, it births a creative synergy that transcends style to truly iconic artistic pieces
While renowned artists like Ituen Basi and Kenneth Ize mostly stick to patterns, others like Fruché, an innovative fashion brand with an exuberant flair for style and cultural akinness, play around with different themes. His approach mainly uses African textiles as accents to certain pieces, like in the ‘SS23 tulle top with Rafia detailing.’ But when he fully implements the works, he makes edgy silhouettes out of them like the Ife Baba Aso-oke agbada, laser cuts aso-oke and adire dress with hand-beaded ostrich feathers and Look 20 from their SEE FINISH collection, which is made entirely of cowries.
Fashion accessories are not left out in this revival. Sydney-based Nigerian+owned fashion brand, Shekudo, is weaving shoes and bag materials out of African textiles.
This raw creativity comes with complete creative fluidity. One of the ways designers have this is by crafting their pieces from scratch, including the material. They collaborate with local artisans who hand-make the fabrics to be used, and often, the results aren’t cheap; herein lies the problem of repurposed fashion using tribal materials. While repurposed using traditional materials can be highly creative and iconic art pieces that celebrate or bring back traditions, they can be problematic for various reasons.
In February, Kílèntár, a London-based brand with a factory in Nigeria, broke Twitter when a picture of its dress with a price tag considered overpriced was marketed to the public. The debate circled the exploitativeness and elitism of fashion designers using these pieces and making them too expensive for the average Nigerian. Thereby turning it into more of a spectacle, a caricature that is Africanism without true reprise for common people, which the artists say is their inspiration. But isn’t this the price to pay for handmade clothes woven from scratch with wool?
There’s a big team behind the creative process and a new age of designers. Building a brand on the ethos of sustainability requires sustainable or natural materials to match the profile. As well as an adequate pay wage to account for the intricacies of design. To create pieces like these, designers collaborate with local artisans that hand-make the fabrics before the designers’ vision is perfected. Add this to the designer’s original costs, and maybe 200k isn’t such a bad price to pay for aso-oke cocktail dresses, especially when there’s a guarantee of long-lasting use.
While this is an argument that might remain unresolved, we can still appreciate the talents and innovation of these artists. Through their vision and creativity, our fashion becomes a glass book — a tangible reflection showcasing our identity, creativity and cultural pride.
Designers are solidifying Nigeria as a treasure trove of artistic expressions, fostering an industry with visionary creations that will continue to inspire generations of designers, artists, and fashion enthusiasts alike, encouraging us to break free from the confines of convention and embrace the limitless possibilities of creative expression.