Nigerian fashion designers have been making waves in the fashion business for years and we owe this to their distinctive and daring designs that highlight the nation’s rich cultural past. Nigerian fashion designers have a specific style that sets them apart from designers in other regions of the world, using vibrant, vivid designs as well as elaborate embroidery and beading.
Nigerian fashion designers have recently become more well-known abroad, with many exhibiting their collections at significant fashion weeks throughout the globe. In addition to producing lovely clothing, these designers support the global promotion of Nigerian talent and culture. And in this post, well be talking about 8 trend-worthy Nigerian fashion designers.
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Mai Atafo
Mai Atafo is a Nigerian fashion designer with many exquisite cuts and designs to his name in both local and international scenes. Being born in ile-ife, osun state, Nigeria. Atafo graduated from the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Lagos and thereafter ventured into fashion designing and later started Atafo Inspired in 2007 as his fashion label.
Known for his very peculiar designs, Atafo mostly lets culture, sophistication, and contemporary styling dominate his designs. He has designed for the super eagles’ team of Nigeria, designed for countless numbers of celebrities, and is an avid mentor to a host of aspiring designers.
Noble Igwe
Noble Igwe a Nigerian fashion blogger of Abia state origin has proven his name in the fashion industry. Being an entrepreneur, a recognized fashion icon, and a blogger using his writing skills to create creative content that has so far been serving quality fashion, music, and a range of content.
His styles are daring, cultural, and sometimes contemporary, and he has taken to create online shopping platforms, denim brands, denim co., and style vitae featuring high-quality made-in-Nigeria denim products and a careful selection of African fashion brands.
He also has bagged numerous awards that prove his talent both as a fashion blogger and a designer. In addition to that, he has helped and been a lifelong mentor to a lot of aspiring fashion designers, sponsoring scholarships and education funds.
Lanre DaSilva
Lanre DaSilva is a popular Nigerian fashion designer known for her designs and creativity. She has contributed immensely to the Nigerian fashion industry and is at the forefront of the Nigerian fashion face. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Lanre DaSilva started her fashion label, LDA, in 2005, and has ever since become one of the most celebrated fashion designers in Nigeria.
Lanre DaSilva has designed marvelous pieces for numerous celebrities, has her work featured in many fashion and design shows and magazines, and has a host of awards all to her name. These feats are nothing compared to the contributions she has made in making sure that the Nigerian fashion industry is being brought to the limelight.
Lanre DaSilva makes sure to reflect her love for fabrics in the intricate way in which she patterns her designs. There is a visible dominance in her design pattern but her work is also quite versatile and brings the audience of the show to amazement.
Yomi Makun
Yomi Makun is a fashion designer and the CEO of Yomi Casual, a Nigerian fashion brand that designs top fashion outfits for men and is recognized as a brand with a very wide range of fashion collections.
Yomi is talented and his many works speak for him. He started as a stylist for some celebrities before eventually launching his fashion brand. And since then, he has grown massively in both strengths of manpower, resources, and name thereby making his brand a household name in Nigeria.
His designs are stylish and generally fashionable, and his brands are packed with collections of designs from anything casual to formal and all of them showcasing Nigerian culture in very unique ways.
Uniqueness and quality are what his works speak of, making him more trusted by celebrities as a celebrity designer. Both the brand and CEO have also received awards and have their works featured in top fashion magazines.
Folake Coker
Folake Coker is a Nigerian fashion designer and founder of the fashion label, Tiffany Amber. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Coker is widely considered to be among those at the forefront of the Nigerian fashion industry, and her work has helped to establish Nigeria as a major player in the global fashion world.
Coker started her career in fashion earlier than many of her peers in the Nigerian fashion industry when she worked as a consultant for a textile company in Nigeria. During this season of her life, she saw an opportunity to create a fashion label that would celebrate African fabrics and styles, and help to promote Nigerian fashion on a global scale.
Her fashion label tiffany amber is one of the most popular fashion labels in Nigeria and rose rapidly to fame and respect as their works stand tall among that of other Nigerian designers be they local or contemporary.
Coker is an avid mentor and has a long streak of awards. Her works depict her commitment and passion which she weaves into her designs.
Duro Olowu
Duro Olowu is a Nigerian-born fashion designer based in London, England. Growing up he had spent most of it between Nigeria and London thus his wealth of experience. He studied law at the University of Kent, but eventually decided to pursue a career in fashion. Later on, he launched an eponymous fashion label and as expected, gained a vast number of followers for its distinct style.
He is particular about aesthetics and uniqueness in his designs and is quite concerned about global fashion perspectives which he takes into consideration while designing. He has collaborated with top agencies, designed for many celebrities, and has for a long time, featured in the most exquisite exhibitions for his outstanding artwork as also, he’s a curator.
Eliro Tafiri
Ejiro Tafiri is a Nigerian fashion designer who is renowned for her unique designs that celebrate Nigerian heritage. Tafiri’s collections feature traditional Nigerian fabrics and techniques, combined with contemporary designs that make them appealing to modern audiences.
Born and raised in Delta State, Nigeria, Tafiri developed a passion for fashion at an early age. She pursued a degree in Fashion Design and Clothing Technology from the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos and went on to work for several top Nigerian designers, including Zizi Cardow and Tiffany Amber.
Tafiri later launched her fashion label in 2010, Ejiro Amos Tafiri. Her collections quickly gained a following for their use of traditional Nigerian fabrics and techniques, including adire (tie-dye), aso-oke (hand-woven cloth), and Kampala (brightly colored wax prints).
Deola Sagoe
Deola Sagoe is a Nigerian fashion designer who has become one of the most respected and influential designers in Africa. Her designs celebrate African heritage and culture, while also incorporating elements of contemporary fashion to create a unique and distinctive aesthetic.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Sagoe developed an interest in fashion at an early age. She attended the University of Miami, where she studied design and went on to work for a number of top fashion brands, including Polo Ralph Lauren and Bill Blass.
In 1989, Sagoe launched her fashion label, which quickly gained a following for its unique blend of African fabrics and techniques with contemporary designs. Her designs feature traditional African textiles like adire and aso-oke, combined with modern silhouettes and bold prints.
These designers are not placed in any particular order of importance or are they tagged as the best fashion designers, but i guarantee you that the faces of the Nigerian industry would not be complete without mentioning these big names.
In general, Nigerian fashion designers should be honored for their achievements to the fashion industry as they are a significant element of the nation’s cultural, creative, and to an extent, financial industries.
