Fashion and Globalization – JSS3 Fashion and Garment Making Lesson Note (Third Term)

Globalization in fashion is the spread of styles, fabrics and ideas across the world through trade, travel and the internet.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define globalization in fashion.
2. State three ways globalization helps fashion.
3. Name three Nigerian fabrics and say how each is made.
4. Name three Nigerian designers who are known abroad.
5. Explain two challenges that globalization brings to Nigerian fashion.

What is globalization in fashion?

Globalization in fashion means that clothes, fabrics and design ideas move freely between countries.

• Before: a person in Lagos mostly bought clothes made in Nigeria, and a person in London mostly bought clothes made in Europe.
• Now: the world works like one big marketplace.
• Example: a designer in Lagos can sell a dress to a customer in Tokyo through the internet.

What makes fashion global?

Four main things make fashion global: the internet, travel, trade and media.

• The internet: designers show their work to millions of people on websites and social media.
• Travel: people carry clothes, fabrics and ideas from one country to another.
• Trade: fabrics and finished clothes are exported (sold abroad) and imported (bought from abroad).
• Media: films, music videos and fashion shows make styles known everywhere.

How does globalization help fashion?

Globalization helps fashion by giving designers wider exposure, easier trade and new ideas.

• Exposure: local designers can show their work to people all over the world online.
• Trade: it is easier to export Nigerian fabrics such as Adire and Ankara to other countries.
• New ideas: designers can mix traditional styles with Western styles to make something new.
• Jobs: more sales abroad create work at home for weavers, dyers, tailors and sellers.

Which Nigerian fabrics are popular abroad?

Three Nigerian fabrics popular abroad are Ankara, Adire and Aso-Oke.

Ankara

• What it is: a bright, colourful printed cotton cloth.
• Use abroad: it was once seen only as local cloth, but international designers and celebrities now use Ankara prints.

Adire

• What it is: a tie and dye cloth from the Yoruba people, linked with Abeokuta.
• Use abroad: it is handmade, so designers value it for shirts and gowns.

Aso-Oke

• What it is: a heavy, hand-woven Yoruba cloth.
• Use abroad: designers use it for modern jackets, suits and bags.

How do the three fabrics differ?

Which Nigerian designers are known worldwide?

Duro Olowu, Amaka Osakwe and Kenneth Ize are three Nigerian designers known internationally.

• The impact: when these designers succeed, they create jobs at home for weavers, dyers and tailors.

What are the challenges of globalization in fashion?

The main challenges are cultural appropriation and mass production of copies.

Cultural appropriation

• Meaning: international brands take a cultural design, such as an Igbo or Yoruba pattern, and sell it without giving credit.
• Effect: the original artists and Nigeria receive no credit or payment.

Mass production

• Meaning: factories abroad copy Ankara or Adire designs and print them cheaply on low-quality cloth.
• Effect: local weavers and dyers find it hard to sell their authentic, handmade fabrics.

How can Nigeria gain from globalization and protect its fashion?

Nigeria gains most when designers keep their cultural identity and sell it with pride.

• Give credit: name the culture, the maker and the place a design comes from.
• Keep quality high: good handmade cloth stands out from cheap copies.
• Use online platforms: show and sell work to customers abroad.
• Support local makers: buy from Nigerian weavers, dyers and tailors.
• Mix old and new: combine traditional fabrics with modern styles.

Evaluation

1. Define globalization in fashion.
2. State three ways globalization helps fashion.
3. Name two Nigerian fabrics that are popular abroad.
4. Explain cultural appropriation with an example.
5. Why is it important for Nigerian designers to be known internationally?

Assignment

1. Look up a musician or actor who has worn African prints. Write four lines on how they styled the outfit.