Nigerian Fashion Industry: From Classics to Contemporary Styles By Jemimah Otueroro

Nigerian
fashion industry has undergone several changes over the years. It is constantly
renewing itself by taking parts of the old and mixing it with the new, yet retaining
its attraction, flavour, grandeur and elegance.

In
the 1960s down to the early 90s, so many fashion trends were adopted in Nigeria
by both men and women to reflect the prevalent fashion signs of the times.
During these times, women predominantly wore long dresses and head ties of
different locally-made fabrics, made into oversized and fitted outfits
depending on their choices, and complemented them with neatly trimmed afros
sprayed with hair moisturisers to make the hairdos sparkling and shinning.
During this period, miniskirts and fitted tops also became popular in Nigerian
fashion industry.

However,
the innovations and growth of the 21^st century fashion industry made
possible by fast fashion, which has made access to trendy clothes cheaper, has
redefined the fashion industry all around the world. Presently, the trend has
shifted to long dresses with deep long slits, either in front, at the back or
at both sides and complemented with either braided hairdo or Brazilian hair. Then, miniskirts with fitted
tops became miniskirts with crop tops with sleeves, sleeveless or an
off-shoulder revealing the boobs or stomach.

Meanwhile,
the men were not left out; as during this fashion evolution, men rocked
boot-legged pants, tightly-fitted shirts with loud prints, tapped by a killer
afro. But, the modern fashion industry made significant changes; it moved the
fashion train from boot-legged trousers to fitted trousers (also known as
pencil trousers) with fitted shirts adorned with unique designs either with a long
sleeves or a turtle neck shirt, complemented with a neat low hair cut.

However,
traditional attires were not left out of this fashion revolution. While women
wore baggy-sleeves buba (blouse) over
an iro (wrapper) that stopped
anywhere from a little above the knee to mid-thigh, men wore agbada (lengthy blouse for men) and danshikis (mid-length baggy shirts) ; a
trend that started in the 70s but still popular in the modern fashion today. To
add glamour and beauty to traditional attires, some bubas are now designed with beautiful crystal-like stones that
glints while under the sun or in the dark with lights. Nowadays, Ankara fabrics
has gained prominence and wider acceptance in Nigeria social setting; people
are using them at parties and social engagements to the extent that a new
movement –the aso-ebi (family attire)
–evolved from the use of this special fabric as a means of identity and to add
colour and glamour to events.

Despite
these significant improvements in our fashion space, American or western
fashion still influences what majority of Nigerians wear. Although, some
Nigerians are embracing traditional clothing and even wearing them to official
and social functions, many still see traditional/cultural attires as meant for
traditional/cultural events alone. In fact, hair trends such as Brazilian and
Human hair have become the popular hair culture among women alongside natural
hair is making some people dump relaxers and embracing their natural hair. Also,
head scarves in form of turbans and caps and even afro are becoming acceptable.

Therefore,
the speed at which Nigerian fashion evolves beautifully and uniquely everyday
with creative fashion designers and fashion shows taking Nigerian fashion
around the world shows that Nigerian fashion has shifted from classics to
contemporary and becoming a force driven by passion; it is here to stay and
expand continually.

 Jemimah Otueroro is a fashion designer and a Mass Communication student at the National Open University of Nigeria. She loves creativity in all forms especially in relation to the fashion industry.