00:00Nigerian royal clothing is deeply rooted in tradition, reflecting social status, cultural
00:06identity and religious significance.
00:09Now let's find out how La Sisi Olubumi is redefining royal garments, especially for the Yoruba.
00:16Our fabrics, the way we wear them, tell people of who we are.
00:21Yorubas do say something that,
00:23It means once you see a prince, you will know this person is a prince from the way he's adorned, from the way he's dressed.
00:32So if you are royalty checked very well, you will see the adornments of Ashoky in them.
00:38They are mostly layered, they are bulky.
00:42While La Sisi also designs contemporary gala suits and dresses,
00:46his specialty is reimagining and modernizing traditional outfits.
00:51His creations often merge heritage aesthetics with modern tailoring,
00:55making them both symbolic and wearable in global contexts.
00:59For La Sisi, it's about giving the ancient designs an up-to-date twist.
01:04The act of making Oteokuto into our own luxury is that if we tend to forget what we have,
01:15an outsider will tell us our storybook.
01:17So imagine an outsider teaching us what our Ashoky is.
01:21Because we do not even know the roots of it.
01:22We just know that Ashoky existed.
01:25So look at this one now.
01:27This one here too is made into beautiful art space.
01:30This is our etu.
01:32From vintage to modernity.
01:36Pure art.
01:37You understand?
01:38So everything here is beaded and all.
01:41And the Ashoky did not lose its value.
01:43We did not have a tamper with it.
01:46We just added modernity to it.
01:49This is Soyo here.
01:51This is it.
01:53Vintage to modernity.
01:55La Sisi's label, Black Adudu, is rooted in the royal lineage of Ijebuland in Nigeria.
02:02This is exactly where one of the biggest traditional festivals for the Yoruba takes place,
02:07called the Ojudeoba.
02:09No wonder local celebrities fall back on him.
02:12Today I am wearing black adudu 007.
02:16And it is specifically designed for me for Ojudeoba to showcase reality.
02:22As traditional fabrics and garments continue to be worn for special occasions,
02:30many fashion designers in Nigeria draw inspiration from traditional styles,
02:35creating contemporary looks that resonate with both local and international audiences.
02:40So what makes his approach, or garments, so unique?
02:44Our approach to fabric comes very unique because
02:47we like to own every piece as our personal.
02:52Just the originality that comes with it.
02:54So this one was actually crafted for a horse rider.
02:59To show a royalty number one standing on the horse,
03:02and then to show bulkiness in fabric.
03:06This is the pants.
03:07This is like the damshiki in it.
03:10And this is like the abada in it.
03:12It has a cap.
03:13While Western styles have influenced modern fashion,
03:16traditional attire remains important for ceremonies and cultural events.
03:20But what meaning do ancestral motifs carry for today's generation?
03:25What I wear now defines my culture, my place, and who we really are.
03:31The ancestral motif and fabrics carry a lot into this generation.
03:36So if we look back at it, let's see, um, we young lads of now.
03:42If we, if you gather ten young lads, the rest I showed you will see
03:49call five, six wearing as rookie pants.
03:51Young lads appreciate royalty.
03:54Young lads appreciate the bulkiness in what we wear.
03:57Me personally, when I wear, um, vintage, right?
04:01So I feel more, uh, royal.
04:04Like, I feel like a, like a prince.
04:06In pre-colonial times, clothing served as a powerful visual language, communicating social status,
04:13wealth, and identity.
04:15Specific colors, patterns, and fabrics were reserved for royalty and dignitaries.
04:20The way we wear our clothings have been redivined.
04:23The abadas have been redivined in such a way that if you want comfortability,
04:28you get comfortability in your abada.
04:30If you want it bulky, the way we do it back in those days, but adding a bit of aesthetics,
04:35like the stones, like the beads, you get them now.
04:39So our artisans at Black Ardoodoo play heroes in preserving our designs, in preserving our secrets.
04:46If we do something that lasts a lifetime, we do, we create an art that can be kept.
04:51We create an art that is of value.
04:54Then it will not pass, it will, it will last the test of time and it can be worked on later.
04:59We actually have to blend ancient, um, to modernity because right from time,
05:05I am a person of culture.
05:07And then to make culture more interesting, you don't have to keep repeating and evolving
05:13what we felt are not, are no more interesting.
05:16African textiles and fashion have a profound history that dates back centuries,
05:22filled with cultural significance, vibrant colors and intricate designs.
05:27La Sisi Olubumi makes sure that in Nigeria, regal heritage isn't just worn, it's reborn.
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