To wrap up the year, we bring you a compilation of the most-read stories on Modaculture in 2023 (in a single post) to make for an easy read and catchup for you as you unwind. This way, you get the gist or refresh your memory of the top trends and conversations of the year if you missed them initially. We have included excerpts and links to the full stories. You can breeze through the excerpts and bookmark the stories that you’ll love to read for later at your convenience.
How did we arrive at this list?
This list was compiled based on data from our traffic monitoring platform and Google. These posts garnered the highest number of views on themodaculture.com and clicks on Google. Some of these posts were published in 2023, while some were published earlier.
Here are the top ten most-read stories on Modaculture in 2023.
1. Video: How the Rolls-Royce Hood Ornament Works
By: Valentine Ofordum
The Rolls-Royce Hood Ornament is no mere hood ornament. The Automaker spent an abundance of time and energy to come up with a solution for two problems that faced the company’s graceful mascot, The Spirit of Ecstasy as Pedestrian safety standards and thieves colluded to threaten the icon.
The ornament was initially optional, but since it ended up being put on almost any Rolls-Royce that rolled out of the factory, it was then made a standard feature in the 1920s. Today, the Spirit of Ecstasy has been made available in a few variations, from stainless steel to gold-plated. The ornament can also be retracted into the hood when moved suddenly, keeping it safe from theft and for safety purposes.
2. MC’s 9 Nigerian Male Fashion Influencers To Watch
By Enioluwa Adeoluwa
One of the best ways to get your fashion in the right mood is by learning from those who do it best. Fashion influencers have been here for a long time and even more than ever before, they have become a go-to textbook to get our style updated and what to wear in the moment. We give you a look at 9 Nigerian Male Fashion Influencers you should be looking at right now.
3. Modaculture’s List of 9 Nigerian Male Influencers Shaping the Fashion World Right Now
By: Olakunle Sanni
The world of fashion is filled with nuances and subtleties. It is a world that allows people to freely express their artistic proclivities as they deem fit, and with its ever-evolving nature, trends are bound to change, and landscapes are guaranteed to shift.
With each year, we get a feel of new movements or witness old trends make splashing comebacks, leaving room for new discoveries in both talents and looks. Every year, Modaculture takes a close look at 9 Nigerian male influencers who are shaping the world of fashion in Nigeria. In 2021, the power list, curated by Enioluwa Adeoluwa, featured names like Tope Okunuga, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Jeho Created, Olupekan Tijesunimi, Noble Igwe, etc. This year, we return to present the 2022 list of 9 powerful Nigerian male influencers.
These are men who are consistently blazing the trail, have carved niches, and established themselves as pioneers and icons that fashionistas can trust to draw inspiration for astonishing styles.
4. Modaculture Digital – The Beauty Issue
Beauty Standards, Unrealistic Marketing & Lots of Sunscreen: “Everything Skincare” for People Of Colour
By: Elvis Osifo
Though beginning to evolve, the truth within the beauty industry’s landscape has often been hidden beneath layers of misconceptions and marketing ploys. For too long, People of Colour—especially Africans—have been left in the shadows, their unique skincare needs and beauty aspirations overshadowed by a flood of white-washed messaging.
The result? A skincare market teeming with products that do little to address the specific needs of Black and Brown people.
As the industry grapples with a long-overdue disruption, it becomes evident that the quest for genuine representation and education in skincare is far from over.
In this eye-opening exploration for the cover, we had tête-à-têtes with three skincare voices in Africa—Psalmuel Josephs, Lucy Kingóri, and Mantombi Makhubela—who are on the frontlines of this transformative movement, seeking to redefine what skincare should mean for us as Africans, using their work to point out irregularities in the industry and urging POC to embrace their unique skin with confidence.
Continue reading…
5. Fola Francis Tells Her Queer Sibs to Reflect on the Nigerian LGBT Journey
By: Elvis Osifo
The sad reality and dangers of being queer, and living in Nigeria have not stopped some members of the community from living their full and authentic lives. In the past, we’ve seen a lot of queer people lose their lives because of not giving in to the oppression, muffling, or provocation of the Nigerian society. The journey to complete freedom and acceptance of the lgbt has been very rigid and nerve-racking. This is why Pride; a period to celebrate, yet reflect on the experiences of the Nigerian queer community, is very important.
Pride to me is like Christmas. It’s the time where we reflect on how far we’ve come as queer people.
Fola Francis, 2022
Ms. Fola Francis, an openly trans woman who knows the risk of wearing her femininity and identity on her sleeves, but still refuses to conform to societal expectations of her, thinks that a big part of commemorating pride should be the reflection of the lgbt journey, struggles, experiences, and the lives of amazing queer individuals lost. “Pride to me is that time we have to reflect on our journey, to reflect on the core of our existence.” — she tells Modaculture.
6. alpher by Union Bank & Chrystallis Conversations Host Ego Boyo, Banky W, Wana Udobang, Funmi Bucknor, More For Fear-Less!
As part of Union Bank’s commitment to enabling success for women, the Bank partnered with Chrystallis Media to host the first-ever edition of its inspirational live event tagged: Fear-Less! Pursuing Your Best Life With Courage and Conviction.
The event, which took place on Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Victoria Island, Lagos, featured uplifting conversations, heartfelt musical performance by Funmi Bucknor, a poetry reading by writer and poet Wana Udobang and inspirational yet insightful panel sessions with Filmmaker and Women’s Rights Advocate, Ego Boyo; Entertainment Mogul, Politician and Social Activist, Olubankole Wellington; Wana Udobang; and Funmi Bucknor.
7. Best of Africa Issue: Togolese Sénamé Koffi, Mauritanian Niuku Djawal, Nigerians Chinonso ‘Aproko Doctor’ Egemba & Cynthia Abila
By: Gertrude O., Jennifer Nwosu
Modaculture, Africa’s leading men’s lifestyle magazine, returns with a powerful issue for April – June 2022 themed Best of Africa; telling the stories of Africa’s brilliant fashion designers, influencers, event organizers, content creators, poets and book authors, influencers, and exploring the finest African restaurants, and literature.
For this issue, Moda Culture chased down Togolese tech pioneer Sénamé Koffi Agbodjinou, Mauritanian fashion designer Niuku Djawal, Nigerian health influencer Chinonso ‘Aproko Doctor’ Egemba, and Nigerian fashion designer Cynthia Abila.
8. BDSM in Nigeria: A Close Look at the Growing Popularity
By: Tilewa Kazeem
Some time ago on Twitter, a user tweeted, “What was that incident that made you stop your Talking stage with someone?” (A Talking stage, for the unaware, is the initial phase of any social media contact where there is a chance that it will develop into something more.) A female user then quoted that tweet with a picture of the list titled “My list of fetishes as a Dom” sent to her by someone she was in the talking stage with.
BDSM, or Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, and Sadism/Masochism is a form of sexual expression that is gaining growing acceptance throughout the world. To many people, the idea of BDSM can seem intimidating or uncomfortable. But for those who are open-minded about exploring alternative forms of sexual expression, there is much to be learned from the rich culture of BDSM in Nigeria. Let’s take a closer look at this unique form of sexuality and what there is to know about it.
The once-veiled sex culture in Nigeria is now almost bare-faced. The reality of the very liberating 21st century is that intercourse, fetishes, and other bedroom activities that were once considered sacred or mentioned in hushed tones are now branded as badges. There was once a time when it was taboo to disclose that you got a kick from getting handcuffed, gagged, and flogged.
9. Four of the Best Sex Toys for Women & Men
By: Tilewa Kazeem
When thinking back on 2020, memories are tinged with ambivalence that the news of palliatives being stockpiled couldn’t even begin to fix.
But amidst all that, something was happening that not many people had an explanation for; vendors of sex toys were running out of toys. An article published by the Premium Times in April 2020 stated: “In most online stores where sex toys are sold, the items are either in short supply or sold out.” While a lot was going wrong with the world, sex toys were flying off the shelves faster than people could learn the correct pronunciation of COVID.
But would you blame them?
When sex toys first made their debut in the world, it was met with resignation from a ton of people, especially the men who felt like alas, like all the robots-taking-over-the-world flicks privy to us, machines were coming to replace them. Some women, on the other hand, loved it instantly because it did something not many men can do for women; give them orgasms.
10. ‘All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White’: Meet Filmmakers Babatunde Apalowo & Damilola Orimogunje
By: Ikenna Churchill
Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, is the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of the number of films produced each year, after Bollywood in India. Nigerian films are known for their dramatic storylines, humour, and music, and they are famous throughout Africa and in the African diaspora.
Nollywood has grown large and is now producing exquisite films that fit the African culture. The evolution has taken a good turn into exploring certain aspects that might seem odd to many but it’s really something that needs to be explored in filmmaking. Creativity in Nollywood has become a great tool in making sure these films are made into a blockbuster and it instils this anticipation spirit in her audiences.
Babatunde Apalowo and Damilola Orimogunje are two talented directors and writers who are on a mission to make a solid statement with the films they birth. All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and Whiteis a phenomenal film that showcases a lot. Modaculture had a chat with the directors and writers to discuss the making of the exceptional film.
BONUS
How to Build an Old Money Aesthetic Wardrobe
By: Daniel Scribble
Whether you’re old money, new money, or no money, everyone can add the old money aesthetic to their style. It’s all about knowing the dos and don’ts when it comes to this style and you’re about to find out the 4 golden rules of the old money aesthetic.
Before we dive in, you may be curious as to what the old-money aesthetic is.
It’s elegant, it’s understated, and its high-quality clothing materials. It’s a term given by social media fashion enthusiasts when they started to notice a common trend of the style among generationally wealthy people. In this world, there is nothing to prove, they have the money and they’ve had it for centuries.
