One of my dream destinations in Nigeria has been Kano for a long time. In February of 2024, this vision was realised in alignment with an equally dream project of Visual Direction with the intentional fashion brand, This Is Us.
This trip was expressed out of years of ideating, months of planning, and a moment's notice of decision making as it looked almost unlikely drawing closer to time.
I landed in Kano on a cool harmattan evening shortly after Khadija, who works with This Is Us as their head of textile design and home.
The next morning we headed to Kofar Mata, an assemblage of just over one hundred dye pits founded in 1498, currently being run by the seventh generation of its original founders. Upon arrival, I took in my environment and began visualising the process and outcome of this project as commissioned by This Is Us. As with all Clearly Invincible clients where I am the assigned agent, the clients fashion vision is beyond clear through a series of consultations and briefings.
I began with two physical copies of shooting briefs in hand. One created by our client and another created by myself to break down actionables for the team of videographers, photographers and dyers to maintain a cohesive visual direction for the entirety of the project. The day was long and hot but equally as productive as we were able to knock out half of the brief on the first seven-hour day of shooting. Due to the dyeing processes of certain patterns such as the ‘Splatter Box’ pattern needing to have the fabric soak in water before being set out to dry and then being drawn on with cassava wax, some shooting processes meant rescheduling some shots for day two and moving certain processes forward so we could capture them on day one instead. In this, I had to exercise a certain level of project management which I couldn't have achieved without an efficient team.
Fortunately, this project brought me face to face with concepts I had only previously heard about in documentaries or in a book I was reading at the time called ‘Sundressed’ by Lucianne Tonti which comprehensively explores textile agriculture. I was able to draw and witness so many cohesive theories into practicality like learning the mixture that created the dye pits or that each pit differed in depth and therefore time period for which the pit would last (which was anywhere from 1-15 years depending on the depth of the pit). I listened as Khadija spoke about the biology between the dyes, the fabric and oxygen being able to create rich, deep hues of indigo. Hearing this and also seeing Majid, a seasoned dyer who has been working with This Is Us for years, create the magical rainbow of Indigo (also known as the ‘Indigo Rainbow Cloth’ by This Is Us) along two six metre pieces of fabric was a mesmerising moment of watching an artisan in motion. Having to simultaneously direct the documentation of this motion without interrupting the dyers process due to factors such as time and oxidation was intense but made sure that myself and the team were present and synchronised. It’s truly exhilarating to just think back on.
Â
Day two was just as intense and just as hot. On this day, I wore my This Is Us x IAMISIGO pants, a Pith Africa T-shirt and a hand-me-down tie-dye scarf. Observing the waxing process made me aware of the precision and patience each pattern required. The cassava wax, brown and sticky, resembling starch was ‘coned’ in a plastic bag and free-handed for some patterns or filled into a pre-made stencil for other patterns such as the ‘Elephant Print’. On day two, I also witnessed fifth and even sixth generation weavers work side by side to create tie patterns with needles, threads, plastic bags and even manual sewing machines for prints such as the ‘Checker Box’.Â
Each artisan had a deep understanding and resonance for their craft and fulfilled their expression with the highest respect and diligence for the tools they were working with as well as each other.
Being at Kofar Mata felt like I stepped into a time capsule and joined a family of intentional creators who lived and breathed the art of Indigo. Kofar Mata remains one of the most iconic places in Nigeria where you can still traditionally dye without contributing to waste or involving chemicals as some parts of Nigeria and most of the western world have resulted to. The Kofar Mata family share that they use the liquid in the dying pits to keep dyeing fabric and as plant medicine for healing illnesses through oral and topical installations. I was truly inspired to learn that as early as 2018, Kofar Mata only had one active pit that served as show and tell to tourists and passers by but as of 2024, almost 50% of the pits are active with gratitude to brands such as This Is Us and other international brands and individuals.
Truly, I cannot end this exposé without sharing how much I deeply love the work that I do with clients at Clearly invincible. Fashion visions vary and a variety of skillsets are required by growing fashion brands for them to compete on a global scale. This is why I am honoured to be one of the agents/fashion business consultants bringing our clients' fashion visions to life. Personally, I live and breathe fashion in both its creative and administrative facets and that is where my appreciation to be able to express this thorough Clearly Invincible stems from.
More than anything, I hope Nigerians and Africans at large can recognise the value that it possess within its fashion industries and utilise this awareness to develop a circular (fashion) economy.
Â
Looking to realise your fashion vision or seeking expert guidance in navigating fashion entrepreneurship? Clearly Invincible will help you realise your fashion vision. Our fashion consulting agency offers specialised consultations and a range of fashion services tailored to empower fashion entrepreneurs. Whether you're looking to fulfil professional illustrations, collection planning, project/operational management, or curated business consultations, we're here to support your journey.
Join us in shaping the future of African fashion. Sign Up to become a part of the Clearly Invincible fashion community to receive updates directly to your email.
Comments