Among the new emerging brands, you need to keep an eye on is Wekafore, born from the idea of Wekaforé Maniu Jibril. In his brand born in 2013, he has managed to encompass all its history, its Nigerian origins, the teachings of his grandfather, the traditional African culture and new trends. In this way, Wekafore is able to stand out in an increasingly saturated world for its all-African aesthetic that manages to find a common point between past and future, between primitive and contemporary.
On the occasion of the release of SPIRIT 002, the second chapter of a series of multidisciplinary collections, we talked to Wekaforé himself, who told us about his personal vision of fashion.
Tell us about yourself, your story, your background and everything you’ve done before you decide to start your own brand.
Well, I’m Nigerian, born and raised in Lagos city until age 13. Before I started my brand I was an aspiring footballer then I wanted to be a preacher and then I wanted to be an architect and then ended up here by chance and necessity.
The world of fashion is constantly evolving and the market is becoming more and more competitive, what do you think are the elements that can determine the success of a brand?
Ingenuity is very important I believe, but no so important if you have famous contacts. The market is oversaturated and its such a doggy dog world so I guess you have to take advantage of any power you have, whether Ingenuity or contacts.
Which are your main sources of inspiration and how does your creative process work?
Social anthropology from the 3rd world up. The return of the moors to Europe, The misrepresentation and under-representation, Americanisation of African blackness. Coming for Lagos mainland (low class Lagos city) I have sort of held myself responsible for showing that – what most people perceive as primitive, uneducated or poverty-stricken can also be high art and can propose ideas for the future of the world.
What happens when you start creating a collection?
Before I put my pencil on paper, I marinate a lot of things in my head. I start with literature, romance and compassion. I look around me and think of how I can communicate these complex visions to the people around me.
What characterizes your latest collection and how would you describe it?
Primitive-futuristic-negro-romance-tech- formal-wear. Let that sink in.
What are your future plans?
I’m continuing to expand the brand into a lifestyle, with different disciplines and formats all from the same stream of consciousness. We are releasing new film series, new events, new music, new collections.
