It’s 2021 and fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, as well as consumers, are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental effects of fashion cycles. If any brand doesn’t at least care about this and look for fresh ways to do any good for the environment, they’re doing it wrong. Nigerian brand NKWO is at the forefront of this journey. Focused on textile waste reduction and sustainable sourcing and production of materials through traditional crafts, NKWO is a far cry away from the stereotype that shrouds the sustainability movement seasonally releasing collections of uber-stylish proudly Made-in-Africa pieces.
The brand’s latest offering is a collection of flared cropped pants, patchwork upcycled denim, and other wardrobe staples made together with a tye-dye craftsman from Northern Nigeria.
According to the brand:
BASIC BLUES II…this is our second series of hand-dyed pieces which we introduced to our Essentials range a couple of years ago. A great deal of our traditional fabrics and clothing have been replaced by cheaper mass-produced products, so to preserve our traditional craft skills we have made a commitment to working with artisans and local makers.
In this series, we are working with a master dyer from Kano(in the North of Nigeria where the famous Kofar Mata dye pits are located). He creates these beautiful nostalgic prints which we have transformed into easy to wear pieces.
*the collection is made from upcycled denim and cotton (both made-in-Nigeria and end of line poplin).
See more below
Credits
Photos:@scarpictures101
Models: @emmanuellaotokpa and @austin_lifu
Makeup: @olatutu_claire
Art direction and Styling:@scarpictures101