Nigerian Fashion

High school. Junior year. Junior year is like the Thursdays of high school. You're not quite done, but you're almost there. Your anticipation for the weekend peaks as you can nearly feel the weekend begin. It's the beginning of the end.

Eleventh grade was when I began to take a particular interest in fashion. That's also when I first started working. Was there a correlation? Most definitely. After struggling several months looking for a part-time job as a young, inexperienced teenager, I found, and accepted, three positions: one in retail, one in restaurant and food management, and one as a tutor. (I'm an overachiever, I know). Working a lot lead to a higher salary. A higher salary lead to more spending money. And more spending money lead to more freedom to choose the things I wanted to spend on.

I've always had a slight interest in fashion. When I was younger, I often flipped through fashion magazines, bewildered at why some people wore the things they did. Those eccentric pieces the beautiful supermodels sported down the runways was what society called "high fashion." Working in retail opened my eyes to the fashion world. To me, fashion isn't just a way of displaying your style; it's a way of life--a creative outlet we all get to utilize every day.

So, of course, I decided to research Nigerian fashion.

According to several sources, the fast-growing fashion industry in Nigeria will be the "next big thing" in the international market. As Africa's biggest market, with well over 150,000,000 people, Nigeria is not only the most populous African nation, but it has also developed and maintained the largest market for fashion and luxury brands. Agbani Darego, former beauty queen and former Miss World, has high hopes for the field, holding nothing but great expectations for Nigerian models and designers alike. Tony Okoroji, chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), foresees a reduction in unemployment as a result of the expected growth spurt in the fashion industry.

Nigerians are expert dyers, weavers, and tailors, producing massive quantities of beautiful, rich, and colorful textiles. These textiles, vibrant in color and abundant in pattern, are predominantly Ankara and Lace fabrics. Ankara and Lace fashion dominate the Nigerian fashion industry, and these local fabrics are beginning to hit European markets.

Just like New York City, Nigeria has its own weeklong fashion festivities. Nigeria Fashion Week (NFW) is typically held every November, with runway shows, exhibitions, and press conferences galore. With a few international designers, NFW showcases fashion near and far. This year, NFW's focus is going green. Their "Going Green" initiative began back in 2011, and NFW has continued on with the focus as a strive to push for global eco-friendly behavior. NFW is conscious of reintroducing eco-conscious methods at the source through the use of environmentally friendly materials, such as natural fibers and organic cotton, and socially responsible methods of production that create social change and empower communities.

Sources:

1. http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/09/21/nigerian-fashion-industry-is-next-big-thing-agbani-darego/
2. http://allafrica.com/stories/201308300122.html
3. http://nigeriafashionweek.com/nfw/
4. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Nigeria.html#b
5. http://iloverelationship.com/ankara-stylish-fashion-trend-to-watch-out-for-in-2013/