Fashion as a tool to Unite the World.......African fashion styles Rocks!

Fashion can be described as a manner of doing something. Then again, it could mean a popular or latest style of clothing, hair, jewellery, decoration or behaviour.

Fashion cuts across all areas of our lives, home, work, community, religion and all other areas. In our home we arrange furniture, fix the blinds and curtains in a certain way with a picture of how we want the home to look. Fashion trends cuts across all tribe, nations and countries, therefore plays a major role in uniting individuals from different parts of the world.

The African fashion has a deep root, in which from generation to generation there has been evolution of styles. Take for instance, the African bead accessories, necklace, hand beads, earrings, hair clips and lots more. In the 90's the use of beads was greatly displaced by use of expensive Gold, Silver and Diamond jewellery.  But because of the limitation of timeless designs the Gold and silver lacks, the beads were re-introduced into jewellery making and beads are sometimes combined with gold and silver, even diamonds to make earring, necklace, hand chains and other fashion accessories.

Lemani Designer wearing hand made beads and silver earrings and necklace

The Yoruba tribe in Nigeria in the 60's wears a style of blouse and wrapper known as Oleku, but the 

Oleku style and even wearing of the local native attires was pushed aside by the generation, who replaced the old styles with new styles from the western nations such as the United Kingdom, USA 

and other countries. Quality and grace brought back the Oleku style in the 20th Century, along with the use of the African fabrics and prints such as, Ankara, Adire, Kente(Ghanian) and others. Now the African prints are used everywhere in the world to dictate style in fashion. Many celebrities in the world finds comfort and style in the great and colourful designs of African prints. 

Oleku style

International actor Osas Ighodaro in the Nigerian Northern part cultural costume

Nigerian international actor/model Gbenro Ajibade on the runway in African print and design

Actor and Movie producer Rita Dominic in Ankara top and Jacket

International and classy fashion icon Beyoncé rocking Ankara 

Beyoncé in Ankara print blouse and skirt

Nigerian classy ladies and young Entrepreneurs rocking Native blouse an wrapper styles.

Fashion is definitely travelling miles every hour of the day to unite different individuals of different ages, cultures and nations, with the African Fashion taking the lead. I am proud to be African!