Hauwa de Zuzu Unveils Asiwaju

As the demand for Afrocentric style increases in the globe, Hauwa de Zuzu, a Nigerian luxury and lifestyle brand, has taken a bold step of leading the pact as the brand launched its new collection: Asiwaju at Radisson Blu Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos recently.

The collection is lavished with explicit details of couture and enthralling patterns of African-inspired fabrics from Adire to Aso Oke to the alluring feel of silk, and lace that is entrenched with handwrought details was exhibited by dark-skinned models.

The collection speaks volumes of our diversity as the Creative Director, Hauwa de Zuzu, Mrs Adebukola Owoyemi Oreagba noted during a chat. She disclosed that the brand is a celebration of diverse identity, culture, tradition, and heritage.

Since Hauwa means unique, wonderful, and awesome, and Zuzu means beauty and confidence in the Hausa language, she added that all these attributes are merged to describe the perfect aesthetic Hauwa de Zuzu (HDZ) woman. However, Asiwaju is focused on the appraisal of good deeds, leadership and growth.

The fashion exhibition was graced by notable dignitaries like the Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom, Kusenla III, Oba Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi. who remarked that Afrocentric fashion and clothing is big and should be supported. “My advice for the youth is that one must crawl before walking. Unfortunately, our youth are not ready to crawl, they just want to walk. But if we find a bunch of them who are willing to create a lot for themselves in this kind of African-inspired fashion, it is necessary to support them. African fashion is big”, he retorted.

Echoing similar thoughts, Professor Duro Oni of the University of Lagos commended the brand for projecting African style.
“Oreagba was our student in the University of Lagos, creative art department in 1998. This is the second of her exhibitions that I’m coming to. The first was on furniture. This is phenomenal because we as Africans need to use more and more of our materials to make Nigeria good. We can not keep going to Paris or London to buy things when we have all that it takes to have these things done here. These clothes that are exhibited here are so original and African.”

Indeed, Oreagba’s Fulani and Yoruba roots spark her love and appreciation for the diversity and uniqueness of different cultures across the globe. According to her, HDZ has been a passion project for quite some time before it was fully delivered in 2019. With ‘Asiwaju’, the designer is expanding her vision and celebrating the beauty of the African style.