For a long time now, the differences in fashion in several places around the globe have always been united by changing fashion trends. It’s safe to call fashion a time machine, as several people have used this art form to merge different periods. You won’t be surprised to find out that what’s currently trending in fashion today has been worn by people years ago. Nigeria has proven to be a living testament to this in recent years.
From the beautiful Batik patterns and distinct Adire colours to the significance of the Aṣọ-Òkè, Nigerians are tapping into the rich, colourful, and fashionable essence of these indigenous Nigerian fabrics to express style, distinction, and identity in today’s world. We are now witnessing several Nigerian fashion labels incorporating cultural objects as essential components of their collections. While these elements are the trademark pieces for many people’s collections, others infuse them to reflect their cultural identity.
Many have also seen that these indigenous Nigerian fabrics have the potential to ooze a modern, formal, and polished essence. However, while you might be familiar with some of these fabrics, you’ll be surprised to see how they’re used today. Join us as we acquaint you with these fabrics and the exciting ways people have fashioned them into a creative and valuable addition to contemporary wear.
What Are Some Of These Indigenous Nigerian Fabrics?
- Aṣọ-Òkè
There’s no doubt that Aṣọ-Òkè takes the lead on this list. Translating to “high cloth,” the famous Aso-Oke is a handwoven fabric made by the Yoruba. It has as effectively maintained its position over time as the Yoruba’s fabric for special occasions. This also explains the pomp and pageantry in the Yorùbá fashion and sets the tribe’s identity apart.
The Yoruba people’s hand-loomed cloth has appeared in several collections, showing its vibrancy and colour on numerous runways. Businesses like Re, Ladunni Lambo, and Mo Agusto have gone the extra mile to put Aṣọ-Òkè on the map and stamp the Nigerian identity in fashion.
- Àdìrẹ
South Western Nigerians use resist-dyeing methods to create the popular textile known as Àdìrẹ. This fabric started as a famous indigo-dyed cloth adorned with peculiar patterns and sewn into common styles. But in recent times, with a plethora of colours from various synthetic dyes, Àdìrẹ was given an expanded vision with inclusions of manually dyed textiles, mainly with the use of Batik methods that are wax resist, all of which results in the production of a wide array of brilliant and beautiful patterns created from several colour dye mixtures, hues, and tints.
Adire was worn by all classes of people in Yorùbá Land before the advent of contemporary fashion, which featured new trends. Adire is today, however, an everyday fashion, thanks to the recycling of earlier styles. It has transcended any ethnic restrictions imposed on the design and become a widely admired object. The bold fashion statement of an Àdìrẹ item demonstrates your respect for tradition. Its distinctive design exemplifies flair, respect, and sophistication while showcasing the depth of Nigerian culture.
Making Àdìrẹ more appealing to consumers by modifying it into commonly worn items like underwear, t-shirts, face caps, silk skirts, and suits, among other things, enables consumers to incorporate it into their daily lives more readily. Also, many Nigerian designers have modified the Àdìrẹ method to create even more fashion-forward pieces for runway and ready-to-wear collections. Custodians of the Àdìrẹ culture in the past have included companies like Maki Oh, Demure by Denike, and Amede.
- Akwete
The name of the handwoven Akwete fabric comes from the same-named Nigerian city. The traditional Igbo weaving shown at Akwete, Nigeria, is mirrored in this handwoven tapestry from Igboland that transforms sisal-hemp, raffia, and cotton into a refreshing and colourful fabric.
The native fabric was ordered by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1990 and is now incorporated into modern clothing by designers like Kenneth Ize and Emmy Kasbit. This fabric also became etched in history books when Theresa May, the British prime minister, wore an Emmy Kasbit-made handmade jacket while she visited Nigeria.
- Cowries
Since dawn, cowries and beads have been used as decorations. Cowries were worn by African women as ornaments even while people used them as money. Therefore, it is unsurprising to see cowries and beads taking back their former positions in fashion nowadays. This reality is supported by their terrific job of enhancing the attractiveness of the pieces they are intended for.
So whether they are used to accessorize the body or the clothing, brands like Orange Culture and Emmy Kasbit have tapped into the identity and significance to make memorable fashion pieces.
These fabrics don’t end here. Batik and Ankara are also examples of the many indigenous fashion pieces many people use in fashion today and will continue to be for a very long time. In light of this, let’s explore interesting ways indigenous Nigerian fabrics have found unique applications in today’s world.
- Footwear
Gone are the days when people used indigenous fabrics to make dresses, gowns, shirts, and trousers. From taking cues from their patterns and utilizing the vibrancy in their colours to even using the original ones, the rivers of fabrics such as Adire and even Aṣọ-Òkè have flowed into the production of diverse footwear such as shoes, sneakers, slippers, and even sandals.
The distinct and stylish aura these fabrics carry adds a sense of identity to these fashion elements while creating a fresh addition to the pre-existing products used in making a wide range of footwear.
- Bags
You might have seen bags made with indigenous Nigerian fabrics in magazines or even on TV. You didn’t see anything wrong. Indigenous materials can now increase the aesthetic appeal of conventional bags and attract the interest of anyone who sets their sights on them.
Handbags, clutch purses, and even school bags are some of the few varieties of these indigenous fabrics that have found their way to the West.
- Book Covers
Book covers are taking on a new look in today’s world. Fabrics such as Ankara and even Adire have replaced the conventional materials used for book covers. Authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have many books with covers in indigenous Nigerian fabrics.
These materials give a profound interpretation, apart from the fact that they also represent the author’s identity or the roots of the covered book. While some call this move admirable or audacious, it shows the versatility present in our indigenous fabrics.
- Murals And Paintings
Artists utilizing textiles and Indigenous craft practices have become more prevalent in the field of contemporary art. Many contemporary artists in Nigeria and abroad now use local Nigerian fabrics to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions.
Nengi Omuku, whose paintings on cloth are distinctly sculptural, is an excellent example of this. She has presented her art abroad, having exhibitions in Nigeria, the US, and Europe. Omuku is notable for her surreal, occasionally otherworldly paintings and the traditional sanyan linen she uses as her canvas.
This development has motivated several exhibitions, both here and abroad, to showcase several artists as well as the beauty of their works with fabrics such as Batik, Ankara, and even Aṣọ-Òkè as the materials for their artworks. Who would have seen this coming? Amazing, right?
- Household Items
Curtains, wall hangings, bed sheets, sofas, and even pillowcases have taken a fresh look. Indigenous Nigerian fabrics are as significant as those used for household items.
They can replace other materials because of their soft, colourful, and comfortable appeal. And more importantly, it provides a sense of identity and fits specific themes.
Are you contemplating the material for your next bedsheet or sofa? Who says you can’t find and use some beautiful and comfortable Adire?
Indigenous African fabrics could appear identical to the inexperienced eye because they are frequently woven from various fibres in multicolour with geometric motifs. However, many businesses, artists, and creatives demonstrate their differences and uniqueness in their works by highlighting the time and expertise needed to make such high-quality materials, which is often overlooked.
As a result of this representation, many people now realize there is much more to these fabrics than just their aesthetic appeal and that they are more important in tradition and historical relevance. If you comprehend why this is significant, you will have a different perspective on African fashion and, more importantly, indigenous Nigerian fabrics.
