Fashion in Nigeria

Fashion in Nigeria has always been diverse, reflecting its many ethnic groups, religions, and cultures. Recently, the Nigerian fashion industry has developed more participants, exposure, structure, presence, earnings, and training. Many now work in the industry as clothing designers, fashion models, clothing stylists, fashion photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, cosmetologists, and fashion journalists. Magazines devoted to fashion in Nigeria are now common. Nigeria's New Fashion Week has grown in attendance, with long streets dedicated to fashion retailers in the major cities of Nigeria.

Recognition for Nigerian fashion has been slow in the global fashion industry, which is mostly based in North America and Europe. Many assume that Africans only wear traditional garb or using clothing solely functionally (to cover the body and protect it from environmental factors). Yet, in many African countries, clothes have historically been decorative as well as scarring, painting, tattooing, or jewelry.

There are definite distinctions between traditional Nigerian clothing and Western clothing in Nigeria. Traditional clothing signifies which ethnic group one belongs to, and can indicate one's gender, class, religion, and region. For instance, city and rural dwellers in Nigeria can easily distinguish Eastern Nigerian ways of dressing from Northern Nigerian or Western Nigerian ways. This is because the different lifestyles call for different clothing styles.

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Wikipedia