Home to modern, fluid and sophisticated garments, the Ejiro Amos Tafiri brand which launched in March 2010 is renowned for its first-rate premium women’s wear that fuses indigenous forms with modern styles and techniques. One of the most celebrated and sought after African fashion designers, she graduated summa cum laude from Yaba College of Technology where she studied Fashion Design and Clothing Technology , obtaining a Distinction Grade as well as a Best Student award, after which she went through extensive trainings and internships before starting her brand. The designer has since then showcased different collections over the years to rave reviews, and received multiple awards and accolades for her innovative designs.
The Ejiro Amos Tafiri brand showcased its ” Mi Casa” collection at the Heineken Lagos Fashion Week 2022.
Talk to us about the Ejiro Amos Tafiri brand
Ejiro Amos Tafiri is for the confident, fun and modern woman. The women who wear our clothes know exactly who they are, and they are not afraid to show it with their clothes.
What was the theme for this showcase?
The theme for this collection is “Mi casa”, which is Spanish for “My home” and I tapped a lot into memories from my childhood. I used to love watching my father getting dressed for work, he worked with the SSS then and his work outfits included a lot of babarigas, agabadas, isia-agus and suits, his work wardrobe was a mix of everything. He was the quite contemporary, fashionable Nigerian man. What I set out to do with this collection was to take our indigenous looks, style and the distinct patterns that were particular to certain tribes and regions, and infuse it to contemporary modern style without excluding important parts of our cultural heritage.
That’s fascinating, so what was the work process to show that like?
As you could see on the models that walked the runway, there was a lot of layering, motifs, embroidery and patterns from all the tribes in Nigeria. I wanted to show that we are all one, all Nigerians. The theme like I said is “My home”, and my home is Nigeria.
Layering was a consistent feature in almost all your outfits, is that something you were particular about?
Yes, I love to layer pieces. Over time, it’s a technique that I believe I’ve mastered. It’s also for comfort, which I’m very big on. I want the women who wear our pieces to be comfortable in them. My brand is about redefining what it means to be elegant, especially now that corsets and hourglass outfits are all the rage. I think clothes can still be stylish and trendy without any of that, waists do not always have to be snatched. A lot of working women who wear Ejiro Amos Tafiri do not always have the time to be corseted. They want clothes they can work in, and can also have fun in.
I see that your pieces were also very inclusive
Yes, that was what we set out to do, our customers all have different body types and tastes in style as well, and so we always make space for all of them. Many times, the clothes that people wear have a lot to do with their personalities, and not just the forms of their body. So, we make sure that our pieces and designs are not just generic, but as diverse as possible.
Are there fabrics that you are partial to?
Oh, I love fluid fabrics so much, they are so pretty too! I work a lot with jersey, chiffons and all. For this collection, there was a lot of organza, that was the star fabric. And for me, whichever fabric I work with, I have to see it move, it needs to be like water, there must be movement.
Thank you so much for your time
It was a pleasure, thank you.