KENNETH IZE

NIGERIA AUSTRIA

Can you tell us about how fashion is perceived in Nigeria? Kenneth Izedonmwen: “We have tailors like New York has Starbucks: there’s one on every block. The textile industry is vibrant and offers access on all levels. In Nigeria, men and women are strongly invested in the aesthetic and traditional role that fashion plays in society. In this way, fashion makes it possible for multiple social and economic spaces to coexist. Even if my brand also operates in Vienna, I hope it can absorb and express the spirit of Nigerian fashion, while still being part of an emerging form of luxury. More generally, Nigeria’s fashion industry is increasingly seen as a promising local sector, and as part of a rapidly growing community.” You involve many different communities around Nigeria in your work. What is their role? “They’re simply essential to the way I want to work and the existence of my brand. Nigeria is a nation of intermingled communities with a great diversity of ethnic groups and cultures. I want to be open and explore these aspects of my home country, and the most natural way to do this is to involve them directly.” What is your relationship with Nigerian craftsmanship? “I feel connected to the artisans themselves and the cultural inheritance they represent. Each of them is passionate about what they do, and this is inevitably reaected in all our products. But this relationship also allows me to build a community around my work.” •

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