Weddings across regions of the continent have their specific personality; in West Africa, it’s somewhat of a rave. In the East, it’s a charming ritual. In the South; it’s customary while the North is all about the culture. This personality is evident in the celebration, in the music, in the aura and definitely in the fashion. There is always a fashionable power-play to wedding gatherings; it’s like everyone is on a mission to be the celebrants and pardon it has to come with this generalization, it’s mainly the decorum found in a West African wedding, specifically Nigeria. But one grit about fashion is its dynamism and over the years, there has been an experimentation with wedding costumes— though they are still couture -like, there is a blend between maximalism and minimalism depending on the celebrant’s taste. We often do not applaud the artistry of designers who make wedding fits; especially their effort at originating new trends, keeping the economy running and the continued delivery of mysterious yet detailed wearable art pieces.
Designer Yemi Shoyemi has one specific philosophy and is that she wants every design made to be upstaging, worthy of capturing everyone’s gaze effortlessly. And as a designer who has spent more than 15 years in the industry, she’s proved to be the go-to for bridal wear. Her designs exude elegance and bask in reinventing already renowned techniques most especially in bridal tailoring. Her most recent release is the Noir Opulence, a collection that seems to be ushering the brand a new path into occasional wear and offering their clientele a new variety of elegance beyond bridal.
There is more of a sculptural essence to the designs of Veekee James Atere, the sort that makes one think they were sculpted from another material except fabric and that braces the true philosophy of fashion. Veekee James is rather seen as the designer on the rise because of her launch in 2019, but she possesses a raw talent that can only be attained by designers who have spent the better part of 2 decades honing a different stylish voice that do not inherently adhere to the basic principles of fashion. Her designs are somewhat celestial, intentional in embracing contemporary African silhouette and often seen as a wearable art due to their out-of-box nature. And in matters of bridal wear, there is an expectation to go further.
To the mere gaze, Atafo is just a brand that offers well-tailored menswear but it’s beyond that. The brand does possess the aura of one that has been around for decades and it has, since 2007, with a designer that is obsessed with the aspect of growth. Evolving is what has kept the brand on its game, they just didn’t want to be the brand behind well-tailored suits but stretched their hands towards womenswear and bridal looks over the years. Mai’s designs are very experimental, while they follow the construct of garment making, the weaponized techniques like embroidery and appliques to craft a collection’s visual language, creating a vibrant symbol that is culturally rooted.
XBL by Oyetomiwa Elizabeth Daniel
The brand Xtra Bride is renowned for their exquisite couture. Elizabeth is very intentional about each dress, MET-worthy is creative language and she combines i intricate elements of fashion designing alongside a biomimicry: she could make a dress inspired by the symmetrical lines of plant leaves, or even an ant-house; while it’s not always her purest intention, it mirrors the description to her audience.
Pitsis Ghana by Sumaiya and Kabutey Dzietror
Founded by Sumaiya and Kabutey Dzietror in 2008, the word ‘Pitsis’ was coined from the Greek meaning ‘Good Faith.’ and smoothly translates to the brand’s effort in making every woman look like royalty. The brand adopts detailed craftsmanship, blending modern with traditional to create eccentric designs that appeals to the modern-day Ghanaian bride.
Similarly regarded as one of the oldest fashion businesses in Africa, the brand Deola Sagoe has lived, loved and thrived. Established in 1988 by Deola Ade-Ojo, the brand is very bold in details, offering a vast range of traditional bridal looks that is culturally rich. A Deola Sagoe piece is always crafted magnificently, bold sequins, delightful pattern construction, and overwhelmingly sophisticated, it’s why they’re the proper go-to brand for wedding wears, both for the bride and the groom.
Extravagantly constructed is the first impression of an Ogake bridal look but that doesnt mean the brand doesn’t blur the line with minimalism. Established in 2013 by Ogake Mosomi, the brand creates both regular bridal looks as a mix of traditional-infus print bridal looks to a huge clientele.
Andrea Iyamah can be described as the designer who created the utmost fashion formulae but she’s also killing it at the wedding with Andrea Iyamah bride. Her approach is pretty simple, she offers a minimalistic twist to bridal wear, creating a unique style that also appeals to future brides who want to opt for a beach-type, fluid-sense wedding. However, there is still an extension of the regular bridal dress but in a very elusive form.
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