By Damilola Fatunmise
Last week, the Nigerian fashion industry experienced a creative wave of reinvention and exquisite designing skill, as Mide Stitches released its latest collection tagged: ‘The Urban Lifestyle’, an excellent blend of Afro-classic fashion ideas and modern tapestry.
The brand’s choice of fabrics, colours and unique styles that allowed for a cross-cultural elevation of ideas that would ease it into the marketplace, was impressive. Each style was distinctly made to inspire confidence and exude luxury. The array of designs embedded in the collection did not only elevate the swag of the everyday man, it also accentuated the very essence of his personality.
At the exclusive launch held for a select fashion enthusiasts and customers, Olumide Mohammed, founder and creative director of Mide Stitches, talked about the inspiration behind the collection and how it aligns with his brand goals.
“I came up with Urban Lifestyle as a means of copulating classic fashion ideas – as they stem from our cultural heritage – with new fashion trends, which stem from the desires of many designers to change the stereotype about fashion. Each design from this collection was crafted to reflect boldly the African identity, but elevated with styles that make one a centre of attention at first glance.
“Some of the two-piece designs have collars, button straps, pockets, and pant lines that are made with Nigerian fabrics like Ankara. Yet, it is a delightful sight when you discover that the final products of such designs are cropped tops, shirts, baggy pants and casual wears that have been recreated with the choicest blend of fabrics,” he declared.
Olumide’s illustration skill and boundless imagination are integral to the execution of the Urban Lifestyle collection. The collection creates a marketplace balance in such a way that, there is a design for every age group, height, complexion, and other vital categories.
Mide Stitches has indeed shown some intentionality with this collection. The brand has crafted timeless designs that will allow for the sustainability of the Nigerian fashion industry on a global scale.
The fashion brand, with these designs, successfully took us on a journey by personalizing them to reflect authenticity and ingenuity. The cuts, trims, prints, colour choice, and use of accessories all came together, resulting in complete, quality-assured products.
With Urban Lifestyle collection, Olumide Mohammed has raised the bar of fashion, and there is no doubt that others will build on his legacy to carve a place for themselves in the industry.