GEJ's daughter and Nigerian Fashion

By Sampson I.M Onwuka

Looking at a recent wedding of Jonathan’s daughter Ine Sakwe to a certain Simeon Onyemachi, on Janury 10th, 2015, present interest appropriation of fashion and attire. From the pictures it may seem that both parties spared no expense from the traditional attire and wine ceremony (inception of the groom) to the wedding (reception of the bride), offered lessons similar to her sister's wedding, Faith Osakwe in 2014.  

                                           

                                            @Faith - Dad's serious copy. 

We can find an elaborate expression of European divide on Nigerian wedding dress in material outfit, first the combination is riddled with foreign vignettes but plaited to suit traditional tempo of the trust at the moment. Of course for Nigerian MFR, the art of modeling is a life character, a very elevated portrait when it involves the daughter of Goodluck Jonathan albeit the seating Nigerian President. At the attendance were honorable citizens, many of showing their latest style of dressing and above all, their European new line of tailors. The wedding designer is not mentioned and the institute that ‘narrated’ the dress code was not mentioned, but we find, something in the traditional futuristic in the men’s wear, for instance, the stretched men’s uniform apparent that is characteristics of Ariaria Aba were among the wedding and traditional cloths, and for me it stood apart.

I can easily recognize the motive and separate the original dapper masquerade, yes masquerade from the new stretch. Here is modern Versace meeting older Nigerian Style. These comfort wears are too thin to look like older Nigerians styles, but you can see that approach it’s not different from what it known elsewhere. Europe and the United States went through the same process before arriving at the formal production as we have today.

 

There is nothing in fashion even your latest Armani, CoCo Channel, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Gucci, or rocking a new Agbani Collection – perhaps Jide could speak better -, it is all fashion from the past. But from a long line of garments for industries and wedding such as Queen II Elizabeth Coronation dress (by Norman Hartwell, c/c fifty dresses), Jackie Kennedy dress in the famous 1961 outing with husband (by Oleg Cassin, c/c fifty dresses), Julia Roberts 2001 Oscar Dress (by Valantino), Audrey Hepburn 'Breakfast at Tiffany' (by Herbert Givenchy), or perhaps in the pictures below showing, Princess of Wale's wedding dress (1981 by David Elizabeth Emanuel), the styles have changed but they are not new.

 
 

Kuddus Kolawole FADAN representative for Lagos in a recent interview with PPM evening estimated Nigerian fashions industries to wroth over ‘10 billion dollars’ or ‘1.5 trillion’. The basis of his estimate is not exactly known, but given the amount of resources available in Nigeria compared to amount of resources in U.S market or in parts of Europe, this is no money. But of course in netting the prize of such resources from amount instead of rate, we are clearly suggesting that a revolutionary process is not necessarily the key but directly indicative.

Anyone seeking to make it in Nigerian Fashion and Model industries must accept what people want, casual and quality cloths with resale value. But of course this is asking too much for a country that is struggling to piece its existence together, yet the expression from cloths and cloth lines are perhaps one and perhaps ultimate revolutionary and counter-revolutionary attitude. Enough with the politics, seek of what they think, seek of modernity, seek of tradition, in love what matters, it is best expressed with cordial attitude and caring through what we were. How can we explain it, it is difficult to grasp, since the only gap for instance on how the Ancient lived in the past come down to us through line of dressing. It is not the hairdo of Nefertiti or Isis and her glow apparel that shows it is what people want, a landing and curving age attitude to life. It all also means that the recent Agbani is not exactly new. But Casual fashion these days allows us to celebrate our existence and the right to choose.    

                                          @Simeon and Ine - together forever.

                                         

The picture of this young youth above is appealingly close that at first sight, we are at once a part of their world. The composer wanted to compose affection through the searing glare of the two couples. It shows elements of photography, the uniform color so peculiar to the choice of dresses is no diminished in this picture, and the contrast gives the impression of assurance and confidence. This picture is fitting for an invitation to a wedding or at least served similar purpose without the ring. It shows above all a hint of staying power and maturity on attraction, perhaps a better class than what is current in wedding invitation these days.

A plain complete line of clothing will do such an entrepreneur unless she is just a local ball buster, she or he should be Austin. Perhaps a brand name, will do if you in Lagos. As a rule, I need to remind you that the best tailors are not in Ariaria Aba, as a matter of rule, the best cloths are tailored in Nigeria and imported. Why does Aba with its symposium on cloths, apparel and dresses of all kinds including belts, shoes, and men’s shoes and perfume fail impress beyond their local markets and those who appropriate it? Some of the reasons are the opulence of Lagos State and parts of the country with ready supply of foreign attention, but the other reason is that the main market attitude and the transformations of Nigerian Fashion Industries have not taken place. Like Nollywood and their compeers, there is something in Nigerian Fashion industries that has no matured yet, it needs a different definition and new line of revolution.
 

Perhaps my interest in fashion, fashion week and run way started lately with a dearly beloved Agbani Darego, whose line of clothing represents something else perhaps a prism or a glass darkly plated showing some form of a future for cloth industries in Nigeria. There will be others, or has been, especially when Nigerian designers and business men in fashion are leading the charge for a better Africa by leaps and bounds. Perhaps my interest began as an hour glass into a future which is now and counting, that the changes that local embracing of Nollywood pictures did not Nigerian film industries, is happening to cloths and cloth lines, fashion without the uniform attitude and apparel; the royal regalia and traditional outfits.

Lately Calabar and Port Harcourt leads the way in reviving Carnival music modelled after the South Americans especially those of Bahia and Rio and perhaps remnant of Brazil.  It means a lot for many people not especially used to Nigeria and to South American cultures, that some cultural relationship is possible between these different cultures of the world who are identified by tradition, and it is no different anywhere when these traditional apparels transition from one form to a more public market. Perhaps it is coincidental or perhaps not, that in the 50’s and 60’s Nigeria, some of the classic suits in men’s style were fashionable to at least a few months from of vogue fashion in centers of gravity such as Milan, Paris and London, but then as well now, Paris held the magic for Africans largely due to the influence from Franco phone countries in West Africa and impresario from Congo and Congo music. But as far as the changing styles of

But the boutiques were gradually visible on 5th Avenue following the examples of August Belmont, here on 5th Avenue, all major brand names debut for show including the more famous Saks 5th Avenue. Compared to Tejusho market Phase I Lekki stores Lagos, a plenary of avenues for fashion, either in Lagos or at Abuja, in Port Harcourt excluding areas of the North Nigerians, including Onitsha main market and Ariaria Aba, are not driven by public attention. These are areas are no 5th and 7th Avenue exclusively meant for fashion, for museum piece and where actors and actress spend some quite summer-time before heading back to their Hollywood base.

It is not here that we compare the role of film industries and museum pieces, art collection and décor to fashion and its evolution. The fashion schools will not disappoint however when we look at Lagos and what it has to offer, the top designers from Nigeria and what they have to offer and the schools in New York and London, or Milan and Paris or in Shanghai and Ghanzhou China. The styles are not the same, the people are not, but what trend people find interesting usually endures beyond the summer days, in those days, it is was the expression of these casual wears that are also important in many ways than one.

(1) Casual uniform sets are very important for it does than who does it, for here, many of the so called top Nigerian designers who are pictorial from a section of Lagos – with no idea of the rest of the State – usually make cloths after the original format but make them in striking uniform or with a hint of fittingly embroidery. It is here we can regard this a fitting point for Nigerians and for people seeking to make any form of designing legal in profession in Nigerian and African, that something like avoiding.

(2if it is due Many experts will condemn a wedding set a too loud and too shinning, even for couture or traditional, may not be a best leading fashion after the pieces we have seen by Agbani, perhaps a collection of Agbani of her complete set of item which from the new designers and designs entering Nigeria and the mass production that comes with it has better theme to offer.