Nigerian Fashion Designers – JSS3 Fashion and Garment Making Lesson Note (Second Term)

A Nigerian fashion designer is a person who plans, cuts and sews clothes with Nigerian style and sells them under their own brand.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define a fashion designer and a fashion brand.
2. Name four prominent Nigerian fashion designers and the brand of each.
3. State what each designer is known for.
4. Describe the Nigerian fabrics used by these designers.
5. List the common traits that helped these designers succeed.
6. Explain why neat finishing matters in garment making.

Who are prominent Nigerian fashion designers?

Prominent designers are designers whose work is well known and respected in Nigeria and abroad.

• Fabric: they turn local cloth such as Aso-Oke, Adire and Ankara into stylish clothes.
• Story: their designs carry Nigerian culture and identity.
• Reach: their clothes are admired in cities such as London, Paris and New York.

What are the Nigerian fabrics used by these designers?

There are three fabrics named in this note: Aso-Oke, Adire and Ankara.

• Aso-Oke: a thick, hand-woven cloth from the Yoruba, worn at weddings and ceremonies.
• Adire: a Yoruba cloth patterned by tying, folding or painting before dyeing, often in indigo.
• Ankara: a bright wax-print cotton cloth worn all over Nigeria.

Why should we study Nigerian fashion designers?

We study them to learn how skill, culture and hard work build a fashion career.

1. Inspiration: they show that fashion can be a successful career, even worldwide.
2. Cultural pride: they show how clothes protect and present our identity.
3. Innovation: they mix old traditions with modern sewing methods.

Who are the early legends of Nigerian fashion?

The early legends in this note are Shade Thomas-Fahm and Deola Sagoe.

Who is Shade Thomas-Fahm?

Shade Thomas-Fahm is widely regarded as Nigeria’s first modern fashion designer.

• Background: before her time, many people preferred to wear only European clothes.
• Her work: she adapted traditional styles such as the iro and buba for modern wear.
• Contribution: she is credited with opening one of the first fashion boutiques in Nigeria.
• Message: she encouraged people to wear and buy Nigerian.

Who is Deola Sagoe?

Deola Sagoe is a Nigerian designer known for making Nigerian fashion look like art, especially with Aso-Oke.

• Her work: she makes heavy, traditional Aso-Oke look soft, modern and elegant.
• Her brand: House of Deola.
• Contribution: she has shown her designs at Alta Roma fashion week in Italy.

Who are the modern icons of Nigerian fashion?

The modern icons in this note are Mai Atafo and Folake Folarin-Coker.

Who is Mai Atafo?

Mai Atafo is a Nigerian designer known for well-tailored suits and wedding wear.

• His work: he is famous for “clean lines”, so his suits fit perfectly.
• His brand: it carries his name and is popular for menswear.
• Contribution: he has helped make menswear popular in Nigeria and has guided young designers.
• Lesson: Nigerian tailors can sew suits to a very high standard.

Who is Folake Folarin-Coker?

Folake Folarin-Coker is the Nigerian designer who created the brand Tiffany Amber.

• Her work: she is known for flowing garments.
• Her fabrics: she likes silk and light cloth for breezy, feminine gowns.
• Contribution: she has shown her designs at New York Fashion Week.

What is the summary of the four designers?

What traits do these designers share?

These designers share three traits: consistency, identity and quality.

• Consistency: they did not become famous overnight, but practised for years.
• Identity: each used something Nigerian, such as the fabric, pattern or style.
• Quality: their finishing is neat, with no loose threads or crooked zips.

What is finishing in garment making?

Finishing is the final work that makes a sewn garment neat, strong and ready to wear.

• Seams: straight, even and well pressed.
• Threads: loose ends are cut off and tied.
• Zips and buttons: fixed straight and firmly.
• Hems: even all round the garment.
• Pressing: the garment is ironed so it hangs well.

Evaluation

1. Who is regarded as the first modern fashion designer in Nigeria?
2. Which designer is famous for turning Aso-Oke into modern, elegant wear?
3. Name the brand created by Folake Folarin-Coker.
4. Why is finishing important if you want to become a prominent designer like Mai Atafo?
5. List the three common traits of the designers in this note.

Assignment

Choose one designer from this note. Write five lines on the designer’s brand, what the designer is known for, and one lesson you can learn. Then name one Nigerian fabric you would like to make famous and say why.