AMAKA OSAKWE,
MAKI OH
“Working in fashion came very
naturally to me,” explains Maki
Oh’s Lagos-based founder Amaka
Osakwe. “There has always been
a big part of me that wanted to
tell stories about my culture and
my heritage through clothing.”
Osakwe’s designs are imbued with
both, challenging the conventions
of Nigerian womanhood while
incorporating a wealth of
traditional textiles and techniques
(she has become renowned for her
unique approach to hand-dyed
indigo prints, or adire, and all of
her clothing is made in Nigeria).
Osakwe is particularly fascinated
by the power of female sensuality- after all, “here, we are still going
through our own reformations
of chauvinism; we’re trying to find
our footing, and I think clothing
should reflect that” – but rather
than looking towards plunging
necklines or micro-minis, she
turns to celebrating the female
body through flattering cuts,
sinuous drapery and “the sorts
of beautiful cloth that a woman’s
skin deserves”. And, while her
work is suffused with the history
of her country, it possesses a
contemporary, global appeal that
has found her worn by women
from Michelle Obama to Solange.
“It’s about taking my culture,
elevating it and sharing it with
the world; moving forward while
keeping my heritage alive,” she
says. “That’s what I feel all brands
need to be doing: telling stories.”
ASYMMETRIC TULLE TOP, TO ORDER.
PLEATED SKIRT WITH FRINGING,
FROM £620. BOTH MAKI OH09-19-WellWales.indd 272 05/07/2019 10:45