Nigerians, of all creeds and colours,  have always had a thing for uniqueness and style, and this permeates every aspect of their lives- including fashion 

In effect, fashion has always been a pivotal component of the Nigerian story. Whether strutting away in any of Deola Sagoe’s made-to-measure fashion pieces or clad in some of Mai Atafo’s hybrid collection, one can’t help but appreciate Nigerians’ deep sense of style and class.

If anything, it is on record that, from periods as early as immediately post-colonial, Nigerians had begun to push the limits of fashion in a bid to create styles that would sync with the wholesome Nigerian the experience,  

One name that readily comes to mind, in this milieu, is Shade Thomas-Fahm, who is reputed to have co-pioneered the Nigerian fashion industry in the 60s. At the time, women’s fashion featured fitted and oversized silhouettes and mini-skirts akin to European styles. According to a www. greyvelvetstores.com report, Thomas-Fahm opened Shade’s Boutique which was Lagos’ style haven of the time. Going forward, she made and sold both European and Nigerian fashions and her most notable creations were the boubous and the zipped wrapper skirt which women still adore today.

Worthy of mention is the fact that It has not always been ”uhuru” for the industry as there was a period of fashion innovation dearth, which probably ran into decades, when Lagosians, and Nigerians, by extension, almost only patronized traditional tailors or went in the direction of high-end Western fashions.

However, the last five years, or more, have seen the fashion industry experience a massive resurgence as talented individuals have been able to establish consistent and exportable fashion brands. A development that more than gladdens the hearts of myriads of quality indigenous couture and design enthusiasts that, for ages,  have actively pushed for the recognition of pieces by homegrown talents.

One iconic name that readily rings a bell in this context is the Creative Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ugo Monye brand, Ugochukwu  Monye. The 37-year-old Nigerian menswear designer who prides himself as simply a ”tailor” broke the internet with pictures from the fairytale traditional wedding of Banky Wellington and Adesua Etomi when celebrity OAP and Compere, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, donned his signature apparel- now seen as a generational hit- from the ‘Reale collection’, at the event. The apparel, which interweaves a rare quality of being a classic piece while also treading a new and uncharted path, has been dubbed a novel concept, a smart improvisation on one of the core Nigerian fashion concepts.

It is, in simple terms, a three-Piece Robe inspired by the “Agbada” – a Nigerian traditional attire. ‘Reale‘, on its part, is an Italian word meaning “Royal” which captures the essence of the collection with the fusion of silk, cotton and wool fabrics. It’s for the bold, ambitious and strong man who is all about tradition yet desires comfort and style. 

In the light of this, there is no doubt Ugo Monye is redefining the fashion designing landscape in Nigeria as his reimagination of the traditional agbada is almost unmatched and unparalleled. This novel approach to menswear designs and pieces has not only placed him firmly on the elite list in the industry but, most importantly, has, undoubtedly, secured him a place in the Nigerian fashion industry Hall of Fame, hence the reason the GNB News has dubbed him one of the Masters of the Nigerian fashion industry orchestra. 

In the same vein, it is a widely admitted notion that menswear in Nigeria could do with more eccentricity which is why we believe moves such as Ugo Monye’s, would inspire more players to snap out of the status quo and delve into uncharted waters

A development that would work well with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, aimed at building the manufacturing GDP around certain industries sidelined ab initio- one of which the fashion/textile industry features prominently

In the second part of this 2-article series,  GNB News would embark on even more detailed analysis of how fashion brands such as Ugo Monye’s can become one of the mainstays of the Nigerian economy, contributing immensely to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, G.D.P.