By Agatha Emeadi
Africa’s fabrics are testaments of the ancestry and beauty of Africa, where each pattern tells a story, each colour bears a meaning, and each textile unifies generations.
Over the years, African fashion has captured the global stage. However, its true essence goes beyond the striking designs and vivid hues. These fabrics, steeped in cultural legends and histories, capture the existence of the various tribes, tongues and languages that make the African continent.
From lion and leopard skins to raffia and cotton, African fashion has undergone significant transformations, distinguishing one tribe from the other. Hand-woven into vibrant patterns and strips and adorned with headgear and accessories, each tribe takes pride in how their personality, status, and class are profoundly represented.
Should we talk about the fearless prints on Adinkra and Kente textiles from Ghana? Perhaps we should highlight the symbolic designs on the Bogolanfini (mud cloth) of the Bamana people, the surreal texture of Aposhe (velvet), and the iconic Admire, a lightweight and dye-resist fabric from Nigeria.
Indeed, these fabrics are cultural artefacts interwoven into masterpieces, unveiling a piece of history and a narrative that spans centuries, told by ingenious fashion creators like Obiageli Beatrice Chukwuka.
Obiageli Beatrice Chukwuka is the creative mind behind Obyella, a standout name in contemporary African fashion.
Through Obyella, Obiageli brings African prints to the forefront of modern fashion, turning them into stylish, wearable art that resonates worldwide.
Offering a refined take on African style, her work is grounded in styles that portray the core of modern elegance while honouring traditional craftsmanship.
This approach ensures that each finished piece reflects the depth of African heritage while meeting the demands of trendsetting fashion.
Obiageli’s designs transcend mere clothing ―they are vibrant expressions of cultural pride and the enduring spirit of Africa. With a blend of old and new fashion trends, she continues to showcase the depth and beauty of African fashion, emphasising the need to embrace African fashion in today’s global arena.
The year 2021 was noteworthy for the fashion industry as Obiageli swept her audience off their feet with five breathtaking masterworks.
Based on parameters such as measurement, key design features, type and quality of the fabric, finishing, colour and aesthetics choices, fit, and functionality, we have chosen only two of these five designs, not because they are the best but because fashion enthusiasts have not stopped talking about them.
Let’s begin with the penultimate:
While other fashion architects see fashion fabrics blend as a medium to be creative, Obiageli’s designs are far more than just showing aesthetics. They are expressions of culture infused into sustainable fashion.
Design and Fabric: This stunning style combines a V-neck wrap blouse with a flair skirt. The wearer, of course, looks dauntless.
Her minimal makeup and shoulder-length Bob wig also give her viewers enough room to notice the outstanding neckline, clean-cut into well-laid and sharp edges.
The length of her blouse and skirt is a testament that Africa is a tribe that celebrates and promotes modesty with a touch of elegance.
The wrist-length blouse is intercepted by ruffles crafted into pumpkin sizes. The sleeves are made of a plain navy-blue material and a spiral-tallied emerald green Ankara fabric.
Obiageli reminds her spectators that blue is still a colour of royalty for Africans, as is green, depicting the lush vegetation and gardens, establishing the fertility and abundance in the African soil.
While the blouse’s non-elastic band secures her wrist, covering part of her hand, her tummy is fastened with an inch-sized belt tied to her left side. With each part of the blouse firmly wrapped around her delicate body, the hem extends the letter shape that starts at the neck
Let’s move lower:
The flair skirt is made to fit her hips, revealing her curves in appropriate proportion. Joined by the bleak navy-blue fabric at the top and a pleated bottom, Obiageli is intentional about movement and flexibility for the 21st-century woman. Right at the joining, the allowance is accompanied by a neat weave, creating tiny corrugated folds.
Fitting and Accessories: Perfect for a slim and medium-sized woman, this outfit is an excellent choice for casual and elaborate events. Irrespective of the setting or location, walking in this comfy blouse and skirt feels like heaven. From top to bottom, there are no restrictions whatsoever.
The pleated skirt allows easy movements, and the belt can be loosened to fit the wearer’s belly size. Flexibility at its core!
The access given to the skirt’s hem also makes any choice of matching shoes the best option. Whether you choose a mule, block heels, heels, stilettoes, wedges, or sandals, just like Obiageli’s model, moving around with poise will never be a challenge.
The first noticeable feature of this work of art is the fitting and length. From bottom to top, Obiageli’s supermodel is clad in what looks like an oversized pair of trousers. Was this a deliberate attempt? Yes. But to what effect?
Inspired by the late 19th-century baggy and flowy pants, Obiageli Matching Diamond Trousers and Blouse reinstate the timelessness in fashion.
With the length of a palazzo, a piece of clothing that depicts grand and style, according to the Italians, this loose, feet-flowing pair of trousers has a feminine allure that every woman who aims for sophistication cannot ignore.
A good piece of clothing for a slim or slim-fat woman, this collection is ideal for loud parties like the legendary Owambe in Nigeria. It allows the wearer to rock the dance floor like a pro. With this complete and stylish two-piece, every twist and turn at any event would appear as if it had been choreographed.
The extra inches added to the trousers’ length give the wearer a head-turning appearance, especially when worn with a few inches of heels. Truly, the African woman has much to offer when it comes to seeking attention at social gatherings, and Obiageli understood this assignment.
The bottom of the trousers, with a nicely folded hem, contrasts the blouse’s slightly flamboyant sleeves. The trousers speak of simplicity, but the blouse has something extra to say.
A well-thought-out fabric choice made from Dutch wax prints, commonly known as Ankara, this piece of clothing bears diamond-shaped patterns, testifying to the fact that a precious stone such as a diamond is not far-fetched from the African mainland.
The hair, the looks, and the pose make statements about the dauntlessness of being Black, bold and beautiful. The sleeves of the blouse, halfway down the wrist, are pretty busy with skipped pleats, creating space for air, mainly because of limited openings.
The neck!
Unlike the previous Combo Wrap Blouse and Flair Skirt, this fit-sized blouse takes a high collar neck folded with gum to give a striking look.
The finishing touch is the array of buttons that runs from the neck to the belly ― several inches away from the hem of the blouse. Void any further accessories. This outfit whispers simplicity but screams chic!
Obiageli has prophesied that the future of African fashion will be a trend capable of doing wonders only if mastered by skilled craftsmen like her.
With details on vibrant patterns, colours, embellishments, designs, and fittings, Obiageli not only creates some sense of empowerment for the Black woman but also uncovers the hidden magic in modern-day African fashion.