Orange Culture

Over the better part of a decade, Nigerian street-wear label Orange Culture has gained major recognition for its offering of eclectic, gender non-conforming silhouettes. At the helm of the brand is Adebayo Oke-Lawal; a self-taught menswear designer, who learned how to sew from various design internships. In 2011, Oke-Lawal confidently debuted his inaugural collection at Lagos Fashion Week, and in 2014 became one of the first African designers to be selected as a semi-finalist for the esteemed LVMH Prize, an award established to honour and support young designers around the world.

Today, Oke-Lawal has a fully-fledged clothing line based out of the Nigerian capital of Lagos; however, the brand could be described better as a “movement.” Through Orange Culture, Oke-Lawal has built a cult following on Instagram with a strong celebrity and influencer fanbase, and his designs have been sported by musical artists including Burna Boy and Akon. The designer has also showcased at both New York and London Fashion week.

Each collection is built on powerful concepts from his own anthropological explorations. Speaking to the New York Times’ T Magazine, Oke-Lawal said: “As a child growing up, I found I was very lost in trying to figure out who I was as a person. I wanted to create a brand that sort of represented that sphere of men: a man that’s vulnerable, a man that’s a bit soft, a man that’s emotional.”

At the heart of Orange Culture, ultimately, remains Oke-Lawal’s own Nigerian heritage. His prints are inspired by West African textiles, and he employs the use of Adire and Aso-Oke fabrics, which are crafted from hand-weaving and dyeing techniques native to Yoruba artisans. He rejects classic silhouette stereotypes, and instead creates contemporary, androgynous cuts that defy traditional ideas of gender, offering universal styles for men and women that push the boundaries of cut and shape.