Nigerian fashion is a confident blend of regional tradition and contemporary design.
Traditional dress
Yoruba men wear the agbada, a formal outfit of an open full gown, a long-sleeved shirt and trousers. Igbo men wear the isiagu, a pullover often patterned with embroidered lion heads. Yoruba women wear the gele, a head wrap of firm material, with outfits such as Iro ati Buba. Beads and textiles signal status and identity, and Edo women wear a wedding crown called the okuku.
History and designers
Before independence, indigenous practices such as adire indigo dyeing came to be seen negatively, and some Yoruba elites and designers wore traditional fashion in protest. Shade Thomas-Fahm became known in the 1960s and 1970s for designs using locally woven and dyed textiles. Today Lisa Folawiyo mixes traditional West African fabrics with modern tailoring, Kenneth Ize was an LVMH Prize finalist, and Amaka Osakwe of Maki Oh designed a piece worn by Michelle Obama.
Fashion weeks
Lagos Fashion Week is cited as a key event for promoting the industry.
Sources: Wikipedia: Fashion in Nigeria.
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