by
David Nwachukwu
Truly great design has always been a function of extensive fashion education, a sound knowledge of fashion history as well as a deep awareness of the environment and ecosystems to draw inspiration. Nigerian designer Ituen Basi has long been regarded as the industry’s grand dame of bold ideologies. Juxtaposing eccentric thematic stories with masterful cuts, she’s inspired an entire generation of forward-thinking designers across the country. You see her innovative influence in the sexy yet off-kilter niche of Uju Offiah’s Meena, in the construction-heavy designs of buzzy menswear upstart Mykel Dukun of Dukun as well as in the visionary pieces that the Gozel Green sisters dream up each season. These designers also embody the most striking part of Ms. Bassey’s work: her artistry has remained firmly rooted in Nigerian life, culture, and beauty over the decades.
Ituen Bassey’s exploration of Nigerian themes began as a theatre arts student at the University of Ife where she created costumes for student productions and campus beauty pageants. A hunger to hone her design skills drove her to London to further her design studies in clothing technology. Upon graduation, she began making samples for established brands while also seeing a successful run in bridal bespoke wear for British clientele. After transitioning to ready-to-wear, Ms. Bassey returned to her roots, making clothes inspired by the culture that birthed her love for design.
It’s undeniable that the city of Lagos and to a larger extent, Nigeria have defined her collections since her 2009 return. The bubbling metropolis is a melting pot of different ethnic groups from across the country and this reality is reflected in each Ituen Basi collection. Starting from the first capsule, partly inspired by the indigenous style of mixing fabric, she employed the use of Ankara by flipping it in unconventional ways at the time. By taking on the culture of adornment native to the Southern parts of Nigeria, she made contemporary pieces that reflected post-colonial Nigerian life and crafted beads and fringe to accompany dresses. Unsurprisingly, the clothes were a huge hit, and the demand for her then-groundbreaking ideas grew, with dozens of imitations springing up in its wake.
She broke even more commercial ground when she launched her Oleku series in 2010 which offered chic, modern iterations of the classic iro and buba worn by Yoruba women through the ages. Initially using Ankara wax prints to convey her stories, she went a step further to incorporate Ankara motifs onto textiles other than the standard cotton and wax canvas.
But perhaps one of the most telling influences of Lagos in her work lies in two distinct collections from the late 2010s. The first, titled TWENTY7, paid homage to the era of afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and his 27 wives. The designer found inspiration when she was commissioned to create costumes for the critically acclaimed play, Fela and the Kalakuta queens. The result was a collection inspired by the rich, vibrant hues the queens famously wore with embellishments that swayed as they danced. Indeed a true stroke of design genius.
A much more modern mood board was found in Lagos’ Balogun Market, a thrilling kitschy collection that highlighted the chaotic nature of the popular city marketplace. Once again, her innovation of the Ankara fabric came to the fore, manipulating prints and creating patterns that were at once chic, wonderfully brazen, and tailored to perfection. The fact that she continues to define the conversation around Fashion Week serves as a casual reminder that Ms. Ituen Bassey is truly peerless.
David Nwachukwu is a writer, designer, and communications consultant. On the days when he isn’t perfecting his self-described “game-changing” tofu recipes or heckling Normani to release some music, he’s most likely writing about fashion and culture.
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