The contemporary Fashion outfit of the 21st African is now characterized by styles and ingenious craftsmanship. This fashion house is now a center of both cultural and artistic representation irrespective of the gender. Fashion an ever evolving metaphor speaks more of indigenous and traditional fabrics mixes with a blend of nice western outfit.
You now see such beautiful combination of Ankara and sneakers as the preferred outfit for various occasions ranging from weddings to burial ceremonies.
On my recent visit to one of these shop, I saw a high profile gathering of smart and energetic young ladies flapping through the pages of fashion magazines in a bit to select a style for their next outfit. Posed with the zeal to wear the next trending outfit to their occasion, they were ready to even be part of the cutting process so as to make sure their designs are delivered to them on time. The Tailor craftsmanship comes to display when finally they have settled for a price, is saddled with the responsibility of bring such creation to existence. Equipped with their scissors, they start cutting out pieces from the materials almost in a fashion likened to an artist. Normally students and apprentice's gather around to see what their master or Madam is doing. With a bit of orderly twiking and marauding, the tailor goes ahead to produce one fashionable dress stitched with threads and linen. This trend is as fast as a two hour marathon with fast electric Powered sewing machine and state of the art weaving or heat impression machine for fixing designs and finishes.
Another set of tailors can be seen patching and iroing different piece to be joined later by the Master or Madam. The carefully ironed piece are arrange in a way that it is hold together by a set of needles, making it look like almost a ready to wear cloth. So many names are now in vogue like ##READY TO WEAR##, ##BESPOKE FASHION and so on. These trends are now characteristic of a new fashion order in sub sahara Africa especially in Nigeria. The look of the design connotes one of diligient and hardwork coupled with ingenuity. I always look forward to such meetings because it is always an opportunity to showcase the African Craftsmanship in making a DRESS for the new fashion Ambassador's of the world from Africa and boldly taking the place of Achievers in the Fashion World.