THE BUSINESS OF NIGERIAN FASHION YORUBA STYLE

A postcard from the Armani hotel in Dubai. Rewind to 26 April 2014, recording artist Tiwa Savage and her manager soon to be husband Tunji Balogun are just about to tie the knot in a traditional wedding ceremony that was the social event of the season. Tiwa was stunning and the women came to the wedding dressed in the most beautiful Gele on the planet. The color, the creativity, the absolute decadence of this traditional Yoruba fashion statement gave this wedding an extravagant flair and is taking the fashion world by storm. In fact, Nigerian fashion, as a whole, is coming on strong and can mean big business in Nigeria as well as internationally. This is evidenced by a new crop of designers and entrepreneurs who have merged creative flair with business acumen to make Nigerian and Yoruba fashion in particular pop.

Según Gele has created a lucrative business wrapping elaborate traditional Gele for weddings and social events. This wrap king jets in and works his magic for up to a $1000 per wrap. He is always booked and continues to expand to meet worldwide demand. Según sees no signs of a slowdown and he isn’t the only one cashing in on the Nigerian passion for fashion.

Nail art has become very popular in Nigeria just as in the states. Elaborate nail designs add the perfect touch to a Nigerian of beauties’ garb. So the Nectar Beauty academy has taken to sponsoring nail art competitions in Lagos. The first was in 2015 with a standing standing room only crowd. Annual competitions and cash prizes entice nail gurus to show what they got. Nail art has firmly taken hold in Nigeria.

Fashion is really about the runway. This is where the Yoruba cultural mix and international sensibilities really shine. New designers on the scene like Ejiro Amos Tafiri, have a knack for reviving the old traditions with the new for and eclectic fete of runway gems. Her rethinking of the wrap dress and Danshiki mixed with a bit of tongue in cheek androgynous design and brilliant color has caught the attention of the fashion world at large. She is just one of a new crop of designers representing with a new voice. With the success of Nollywood, Internet blogs and other platforms to display their wears Nigerian designers are awash in the entrepreneurial spirit.

Roseline Onwenu, owner of Sterose International Boutique, imbues the entrepreneurial spirt in Detroit, Michigan. She has been in business for over ten years in the heart of Detroit providing quality, goods and services for her clients.

Roseline Onwenu specializes in the latest fashions in jewelry, accessories, clothing, and fabrics imported from Africa.
She is known for the custom, high-quality head Geles that she designs. Roseline displayed her enormous talents as a Gele Head Wrap artist at the HeadWrap Expo 2016 held last summer in Dearborn, Michigan.

Roseline’s boutique offers a variety of African clothing for men, women and children of all sizes. The fabrics used include African wax prints, lace fabrics, ankara, georges, hollands, kente, moth clothes, and many more.

So we end as we began, with the Nigerian wedding. This traditional symbiosis of love and cultural empowerment brings Yoruba together around the world for the most elaborate fashion displays going. Weddings are big business worldwide and enterprising artist have taken to making weddings Nigerian style a premier event. These gorgeous festivals have helped to push the Nigerian fashion industry at home and abroad over the 31 billion dollar mark. That’s no small accomplishment for a nation looking to diversify it’s economy and open the world to the wealth of Nigeria’s cultural experience. Keep doing big things at home and abroad.