It is no news that Nigerian fashion designers have been doing us proud and continually serve as trailblazers who put Nigeria and Africa as a whole on the international map. What I love personally is how our celebrities can show up at events adorned with glamorous Nigerian-made fabrics. This is very encouraging for the younger generation and we have lots of aspiring global fashion designers even among us as students.
That being said, here are four of the top fashion designers in Nigeria according to africa.com
Folake Folarin-Coker
She is the founder of Tiffany Amber, a world-famous iconic label whose journey began in Lagos in 1998. Folake’s tasteful and colorful creations have earned her global recognition, making her the first African fashion designer to showcase her talent at the New York Mercedes Fashion Week two years in a row. She has also been widely featured by International media houses such as CNN, and in 2013, she received an Enterprise Award at WIE (Women, Inspiration and Enterprise) Symposium. In addition, she has made it onto the Forbes Power Women in Africa list.
She has been instrumental in making the Nigerian fashion industry shine.
Duro Olowu
London-based, Nigerian born, Duro Olowu, shares both Nigerian and Jamaican roots and is a household name in both the Nigerian and global fashion industry. Olowu’s talent has earned him global fame and recognition with top clients to his name such as Michelle Obama, Solange Knowles, Uma Thurman, and Linda Evangelista, among others. In 2005, he was the first designer to be named New Designer of the Year at London Fashion Week without staging a catwalk show. At the African Fashion Awards in 2009, he was named the Best International Designer and was one of the six nominees for the Swiss Textile Federation’s top prize of 100,000 Euros. Both British and American Vogue in 2005 named his waist patchwork “Duro,” as the “Dress of the Year.”
Deola Sagoe
Deola Sagoe is a renowned Nigerian fashion designer, entrepreneur and founder of The House of Deola Sagoe. Her unique approach of designing lively and colorful prints has earned her a global following including notable personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith, who have recognized her for her celebration of African prints.
She is a woman with many layers and this is reflected in her multilayered designs. Her signature designs, Attitude and Elegance, draw their inspiration from fabrics with a traditional Nigerian touch and western aesthetics.
Lisa Folawiyo
Lisa Folawiyo is a self-made Nigerian fashion designer who is famous for the way she creatively fuses traditional West African fabrics with modern tailoring techniques. She is known for her label, Jewel by Lisa, which she launched in 2005, and has since grown to become a global fashion brand with showrooms in New York and Nigeria.
Folawiyo uses Ankara, a traditional West African fabric, to create captivating and luxurious custom prints. Some of her celebrity fans include Beyonce, Kelis,Tasha Smith, and Eve.
M.Tee
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