Transcending pt.1 Exhibition | Lagos, Nigeria
Transcending is an up-close depiction of the impact the fashion industry has on the environment; going beyond garment making. After launching my first collection for House of Akachi in 2021, I noticed the amount of scraps left over, waiting to be discarded.
My job is to make people think, make people see clothing differently. See garments as objects that essentially live forever. Right now, garments survive multiple lifetimes. Because of the different fibers and materials that go into making clothing and let’s be honest, they’re far from sustainable.
One alarming statistic that has sat with me since starting my sustainable journey in 2014 was that it takes over 100 years to break down synthetic fabric. A large majority of garments worn today are created by synthetic fabrics.
While the rise of digital fashion via NFTs is increasing, we live in a physical world. How can we reduce the amount of waste in the clothing production process? What happens to the scrap materials once the garment has been cut and collections have been released? Those are the questions that I want to be on top of people’s minds.
Now, let’s bring it closer to home. We’re in Lagos, Nigeria. What I like to call the fashion capital of Africa. On any given day there are over 300 engagements happening. From our highly talked about weddings to birthday parties, anniversaries or just random get-togethers. A lot if not all of these engagements require a uniform, an aso-ebi. Once those garments are made, what does the tailor or designer do with the remaining fabric? More times than not, it goes in the trash.
My work focuses on innovation and sustainability and combines different cultural codes from my Nigerian-American upbringing.
