Ade Bakare Couture label is a luxury brand of elegant and classic clothes with a modern twist. The label consists of day and evening wear with a bridal range using exquisite couture fabrics such as chiffon, duchess satin, zibeline, lace, and Ade’s favourite fabric, gazar. Some of his signature designs that have become successful over the years are his silk gazar sweep coats, puff-sleeved blouses, high neck jackets, beaded kaftans and the frilled African boubou. His collection now embraces his African heritage and his beautiful designs can be seen interpreted in the silk adire he has now made famous. In Nigeria, Bakare has dressed the cream of Nigerian society; he was also made the official designer of the former first lady of Nigeria, the late Stella Obasanjo. He has shown his collections in many countries such as Vienna, New York, Paris, Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lagos, Mozambique and Abuja. In this interview, he talked about the growth of the Nigeria fashion industry and the challenges and opportunities. KENNETH ATHEKAME brings the excerpts:
Can you tell us about your early experience with fashion? What were your earliest inspirations, and how did they shape your design aesthetic?
I was 10 years old; I was fortunate to have parents that were able to encourage my talents from childhood and see it develop over the years.
How has your experience as a Nigeria fashion designer living in the UK shaped your perspective on fashion and its role in society?
Having studied fashion in Manchester and set up business through the Prince’s Youth Business Trust (PBYT) in London 1991; my focus was good design and especially quality. I noticed in Nigeria in the 80s lots of people bought clothes abroad termed “Ready made.” This was considered more superior to the clothes made in Nigeria at the time; the major difference being the quality of make. So, I was determined I would have extremely well-made designs that will be at par with any fashion label in the UK. I was able to achieve this using high end manufacturers and being a couture label; we used the best of fabrics; we sold instantly to boutiques and stores across the UK and as far as the Channel Islands. However, I remember the fashion editors at the time tasking me to infuse some of my African heritage into our collections, but I was slightly oblivious of what they meant as I did not have a deep knowledge on Nigerian textiles or designs; this however, changed drastically when I was invited to a show in Cape Town in 2005, I saw how the African designers used African influences and made sure the next time we showed the following year we imbibed it; which was a huge success and we were on the front pages of the South African newspapers the next day; Cape Argus gave us front mention, labelling us “Nigeria’s Surprise.”
How has your brand contributed to the growth of the Nigerian fashion industry?
When we started in the early 90s in the UK, there were not a lot of black-owned fashion business; I remember Adebayo Jones and Koshibah. It was very difficult but we soldered on and the likes of Nigerian magazines such as Ovation celebrity, Africans around town and others helped to bring attention to what we were trying to achieve, which generated a lot of sales amongst Nigerians and indeed, other African countries that took pride in what we were doing. Lots of Nigerian designers I come across now say we were of huge inspiration to them; so, I like to believe we have helped the growth of the Nigerian fashion industry, not forgetting designers such as Maufechi, Jimmy King, Frank Osodi, Deola Sagoe and the late Remi Lagos, to mention a few.
What are the challenges and opportunities you see for Nigerian fashion on the global stage?
The whole world is focused on the African continent at the moment; it’s almost like the last frontier, people are curious and eager to see what Africa has to offer; we have done extremely well in the music and film industry, the fashion industry is also coming up; I feel it’s extremely important that the fashion industry in Nigeria is not seen as a hobby but a professional career. The West has been offering fashion design as degree since the 1940s, that’s the importance they attach to fashion, hence, its a billion-dollar industry worldwide. We have to start from basics and people interested in fashion design should study it. You don’t go to a university to study fashion design for 4 years and only learn sewing and drawing, there is so much more.
To operate globally you need a lot of knowledge and experience. You can’t sell to international departments stores and only sell summer lines what happens for autumn and winter, education in any field you want to excel in is key contrary to most perceptions there are fashion institutions in Nigeria such as Yabatech and Auchi Polytechnic amongst others; though I believe we can have more technical schools that offer fashion designing. In the UK, they have over 500 fashion colleges.
How do you incorporate sustainable and ethical practices into your design process?
As a couture brand, we have always had a degree of sustainability in the design process. We use mostly natural fabrics such as silks, linen, wools, cottons and leather which are all-natural materials and environmentally-friendly. We also use a lot of local artisans for embroidery and fabrics such as adire, akwete, Asò oke and batik, which also help to keep some of these ancient crafts alive, creating employment in the towns and villages.
What role can Nigerian fashion play in promoting sustainable development within the country?
We need to grow more of our national industries; cotton used to be produced in cities such as Kano and Abeokuta. These have all died and now we import most of what’s used; we need to develop manufacturing industries. Aba in Abia State is leading in this sector, but we need more all over the nation; textile companies are crucial. Aswani and Shokas used to produce lots of fabrics but they have all folded up due to cheap importations which have killed the industry; it was possible then; so, it’s possible now. We just need to focus and be strategic in our plans.
How do you incorporate NigeriaN cultural elements into your designs while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic?
When it comes to African and cultural influences, there’s a vast ocean to tap from; we use a lot of Adire in our designs which we have been creating since 2006, incorporating luxurious fabrics into the mix, making them more accessible; we also use embroidery and embellishments that have traditional references. The Nigerian silhouettes are also apparent in our styles.
How has your brand contributed to job creation and economic growth within the Nigeria fashion industry?
By using our indigenous fabrics and developing them to have a wider and modern appeal, I feel this helps to promote our culture and heritage. I recently wrote a book on Aso oke which covers the origin, various styles and modern usage. The book is available on Amazon and via our various outlets in Lagos and the UK. It can also be ordered via our website www.adebakare.com. The book was commissioned by the First Lady of Lagos State, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu. These projects help to promote our cultural heritage both nationally and internationally
What are your thoughts on the potential for fashion to drive tourism and cultural exchange between Nigeria and the UK?
In Nigeria where we have an atelier, we currently produce for our clients nationally and for export, we employ workers who have been with us for over 10 years and have learnt our couture methods. I always jokingly say if they went abroad, they could easily work in couture houses in Paris, London, or Rome. Lots of fashion houses in Nigeria are creating lots of employments in the country; some workers now come from as far as Ivory Coast and Bénin which shows the vast opportunities we have to offer. The government should place emphasis on guild schools for craftsmanship, where they would teach tailoring, carpentry, etc. This is already obtainable in most francophone countries in Africa. Fashion is a thriving industry in Nigeria, I always say Nigerians have a deep love for fashion which helps sustain fashion designers and gives them the opportunity to design for a willing audience that appreciates their efforts. There could be more fashion training rendered by the UK government to support and develop fashion schools in Nigeria with over 500 fashion colleges; they have a wealth of experience we can tap into. I used to lecture at my fashion college in Manchester, and currently invited by the fashion students at Yabatech for their annual fashion show. These partnerships help to foster knowledge and experience.
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