Màká ná ónyé kwéé, chi ya esòlú ya kweta
(When one agrees, his personal/guiding spirit, is in agreement with him)
Otanjele is an 8 look artistic assemblage whose beginnings draws from a seemingly eclectic but related array of “Inspirative” sources. This body of work takes it’s core from a familiar Igbo idiom, which fondly reads as “onye kwe, chi ya e solu ya we kwelu” translated to mean, when one agrees, his Chi or personal guiding spirit is in agreement with him. It is a beautiful concept denoting that our chi’s always remain by our side and
will follow our lead as we take charge of our own destinies. The fundamental essence of this Igbo idiom seeks to encourage humanity to find courage to bask in the knowledge that our destines are fully driven by the conscious choices and actions we take. From this background Otanjele explores the intricate nuances of feminine power as iterated through the lenses of women who choose to BE . It traces the choices made by women to combat the visions of smallness and imbalance that’s inextricably tied to the entire concept of femininity.
The Igbo word, Otanjele refers to the eyeliner. It is a cosmetic product populary referred to as “Tiro” in local Nigerian parlance. The choice to develop the premise of this work, based on the eyeliner, is to infer the significance of the assortment of choices women make through their entire timeline as humans, even in something seemingly basic like wearing a simple cosmetic item like the Otanjele. In Igbo culture, It’s widely believed that the eyes are a significant portal/door to the soul, hence in Igbo cosmetic ritual, wearing Otanjele around the eyes is seen as a conscious effort to protect and equip oneself with perceptive ability to decipher between good and bad.Based on this I decide to fully expand this subject matter into a comparison between the eyes and Doors.
The choice to juxtapose the human eyes to doors Is to clearly establish a possibility in similarities in meaning between both objects .This Igbo carved doors, known locally as MgboEzi, were made from slabs of the sacred termite-resistant oji tree also known as African oak or iroko, some of them, Standing high as 1-1.5 meters.
These doors were used as gates to the entry of homes and shrines of Ozo titled Igbo chiefs. The panels were richly decorated with textured reliefs of diamonds, squares, rectangles, triangles, half-moons, quatrefoils and graceful loops on the public side, a perfect comparison for what the eyeliner does for the eyes, and most importantly, a deep and ultimate visual representation that exudes power, nobility and fine taste.
Ohlanna bu Zikora is a Nigerian based Demi-couture brand with a democratized vision that allows for a fine couture experience but with easier price points, sustainable techniques and quicker lead times. All pieces are custom made to order following the unique body measurements and fit needs of individual clients.
The brand also observes a strict tradition of Toile fittings as it gives the design team and the client a precise vision of fit and stylistic elements . All looks from the collection are completely available to be modified, reworked and styled in varying degrees following clients tastes and wardrobe needs.
“Daalu”
