Meet the designers from Northern Nigeria who rocked the ARISE Fashion Week 2023 Runway
Over the years, ARISE Fashion Week has been increasingly intentional with its plan to improve representation from designers based in Northern Nigeria, and this year, the ARISE Fashion Week & Jazz Festival provided a platform to a number of these designers, whose brilliant collections proved that Northern fashion deserves to be on the runway just as much as designers from other parts of the country.
Photo Credit: Eniafe Momodu
AMEER BY AMEER
Ameer By Ameer aims to highlight elements that directly reflect traditional West African attire, perfected for the stylish, everyday man. For his debut on the ARISE Fashion Week runway, Ameer Bunu opened his showcase with a traditional Kanuri practice by burning incense on the runway, catching the attention of everyone in attendance. Styled by Moses Ebite, Ameer showcased a diverse range of indigenous pieces including kaftans and babban rigas, accessorised with beads, flat caps and traditional headscarves.
HUDAYYA
Based in Abuja, Hudayya is a bespoke ready-to-wear fashion brand that provides high-end class tailoring and luxury dressing. This month, Hudayya returned to the ARISE runway following her show-stopping debut at ARISE Fashion Week’s Dubai Expo showcase in 2021, which made headlines for its eye-catching pieces, as well as a surprise appearance from supermodel Naomi Campbell. This year, Hudayya showed that she has even more to offer her ever-growing fanbase, showcasing a cohesive mix of silks, organzas and other rich fabrics that are signature of the brand. Aminat Ayinde also turned heads in a crystal-embellished boubou, reminding the audience of exactly how she earned her status as a top model.
SYARI BESPOKE
Bespoke design house, Syari Bespoke, creates unique designs by merging contemporary influences with traditional clothing styles. For his ARISE Fashion Week debut, Sadiq Mele Kyari paired colourful kaftans with Syari-branded snapbacks, while some mismatched three-piece attires (agbadas) proved that this designer is wholly unafraid to think outside the box.
MARIYA SANUSI
Eponymous brand, Mariya Sanusi, was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been on an uphill journey ever since. The womenswear brand, which places an emphasis on womanhood and self-love, filled her ARISE Fashion Week debut with bright pieces, that artfully married ready-to-wear and couture aesthetics, with potent results. With vivid pieces made in striking silhouettes, it was certainly an affair to remember.
EL-ATTIRE
Bespoke design house, Syari Bespoke, creates unique designs by merging contemporary influences with traditional clothing styles. For his ARISE Fashion Week debut, Sadiq Mele Kyari paired colourful kaftans with Syari-branded snapbacks, while some mismatched three-piece attires (agbadas) proved that this designer is wholly unafraid to think outside the box.Ameer By Ameer aims to highlight elements that directly reflect traditional West African attire, perfected for the stylish, everyday man. For his debut on the ARISE Fashion Week runway, Ameer Bunu opened his showcase with a traditional Kanuri practice by burning incense on the runway, catching the attention of everyone in attendance. Styled by Moses Ebite, Ameer showcased a diverse range of indigenous pieces including kaftans and babban rigas, accessorised with beads, flat caps and traditional headscarves.