Unveiling 2017 Runway Trends

The off the shoulder trend seems to have been a significant trend in all the lookbooks that debuted in January. Fear not, the fashion train is already on the move and here are the trends that will find their way on to Nigerian runways for the various fashion weeks later in the year.

Regalia

D&G has spent the last ten seasons drawing inspiration from history of Spain, Italy, Greece and France using symbols of their cultural heritage which is often centered around their past monarchies.

There seems to be a renewed fascination in royalty and all its trappings this season. Starting from the old faithfuls, Valentino and Dior, down to Dolce and Gabbana have drawn inspiration from the history of Spain, Italy and Greece using symbols of their cultural heritage, which is often centered around their past monarchies. They went as far as releasing a ‘Princes” menswear collection this season full of lush embroidered coats and crushed velvet jackets. Local brands like IAMISIGO and Northern Belle are already on this tip, IAMISIGO is looking to the ritual regalia of the Itshekiri people and Northern Belle at the wedding rituals of the Hausa culture for inspiration. We expect more extravagance, more frou-frou, more senrenre this year from Nigerian brands.

The Slip

Underwear as outerwear is always a minor trend every year. This year local brands like Bridget Awosika, Lisa Folawiyo and Tsemaye Binitie all showed slip-inspired dresses and Brief Essentials has run a campaign with several bloggers including Miralabelle and Omogemura promoting slip dresses as day wear. Over the year, we’re going to see the more adventurous brands take this trend and try to push it in ways that align with their brand aesthetic. It will be interesting to see the places where they go.

Exaggerated Appliqué Work

Ever since Alessandro Michele finally took the reins at Gucci, he has ushered in a new generation’s interest in heavily detailed, culture specific appliqué. Gucci has been everywhere, and we mean everywhere this year. We already saw local brands like Lisa Folawiyo and Nuraniya Studios start to dabble in the appliqué trend but with urban wear brands joining the fray, expect to see detailed appliqué work on all the major local brands in 2017. After all who doesn’t like a great badge?

Accessories

It seems Nigerian labels are finally realising that dresses come and go but a good shoe or bag will remain a best seller. Some labels have dabbled in collaborations with accessories designers like Shem Paronelli, King David Shoes and Kene Rapu but with many of them either going niche or going mainstream with production factories, we’re going to see our labels really invest in their accompanying accessory lines. Orange Culture was well ahead of that trend this season with moustache nose rings and Nkwo’s denim turbans still elicit delight three seasons later. Everyone’s going to try their hand at accessories this year and what a spectacle it will be. No pun intended. 

Volume in Menswear

The Italian biannual menswear trade fair Pitti Uomo provided the definitive trends for the menswear world and in 2017 we see that the skinny jean/pant is finally being ditched for better cut, baggier pants and the sleek jacket being switched with roomier versions. Local brands like Nkwo and Orange Culture have been on this tip for a while now. We expect to see more Nigerian menswear brands fully embrace the global menswear trends, baggy pants and all.