FASHION AND CULTURE

Fashion is not an isolated factor of clothing but a connection to our lifestyle, personality and various cultural heritage which redefines ones personal identity. Just as fashion is seen as a signal of personal identity, it can also have influence both socially and psychologically. Fashion can be classified into different types Style, Basic or Classic, Trends, Fad and Fashion Forecasting.

According to editorial policy of fashion theory, the journal of dress body and culture defines fashion as “ The Cultural Construction of Embodied identity which encompasses both street styling, fashion created by designers and couturiers”. These can be showed through fashion shows where fashion stories can be communicated either by Formal Fashion shows or Informal Fashion shows.

Fashion is a changing trend with a great definition of trial and error, what was considered Fashionable a few decades back might be synonymous to killing fashion. Oleg cassini; a reported French born designer quotes “ Fashion anticipate and elegance is a state of mind a mirror of time in which we live a translation of the future and should never be static.”

Fashion designers and Pattern makers create fashion and accessories sometimes according to the culture of a tribe or country. Just as culture is a diverse so is fashion therefore various fashion designer and pattern makers have their different concept and ideas in creating a chic. People that create and wear culture related fashion most times have the mindset to educate and showcase cultural identity.

Culture is beauty and different styles defines culture. In Nigeria there are a lot of amazing cultural heritage and attires but the most identified falls into the 3 major ethnic group which are the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.

IGBO’S : The Igbo men traditional attire in the ancient days was just wrapper and was decorated with ULI BODY of different shapes and designs but the modern traditional attire for Igbo men is called ISIAGU mostly worn when collecting their Chieftaincy title with a pair of trousers and title holder’s hat or Okpu Agwu. For women puffed sleeved blouse along with two wrappers and head tie.

YORUBA’S : They take pride in their attire and have very wide range of clothing materials. The most basic being the Aso-Oke a hand loomed cloth of different patterns and colors sewn into various styles. They also have OFI, ARAN, ADIRE.

HAUSA’S: They are men are identified by their elaborate flowing gown known as Baba Gida and huluna whereas their women wrap around robe called “Abaya” with a matching blouse, headtie and henna designs on their hands.

Despite the diversity in cultural heritage, fashion has found a way to bring togetherness where people wear different attires without putting in mind the tribe.