AFRICAN LEGACY AND THE ABILA TOUCH

Whether we like it or not, what we wear can tell a story about the era we live in, the values we hold dear, and the movements we support. Fashion has long served as a mirror for society. This is why the fashion brand Cynthia Abila have decided to bring back the forgotten Igbo pride in a way that will fit our current reality.

Cynthia Abila makes clothes that tell stories of their respective tribe. Compared to some brands that are careful when interpreting African legacy, Cynthia Abila’s work stands out well.

This particular dress looks very fine. It gives confidence and a feminine vibe needed to rock this outfit. Even though the shoulders of the dress look too large and the arm length too wide, you cannot deny that the black sunglasses fit perfectly with it.

The wide leg trousers look perfect, no need for trimming, very good as a baggy trouser, as it gives the outfit more ginger and style. I’m very sure the model could barely feel the material around her legs, giving enough space to walk freely.

Though there is something I don’t really like about this outfit. It looks too long and unnecessarily wide. If a short person wears this, they will just end up sweeping the ground.

The designers should consider working on this. Also, the shoulder pad is somehow off.

They don’t look equal, and they also look unfitting.

I love it when people rock an outfit so well. This outfit gives the “street vibe” with a perfect match in colour, making Cynthia Abila’s work here perfect.

It is almost a perfect-looking suit, but it had to go the other way around. First, the jacket looks great. The long sleeves are a great decision, while others might have gone for a short-sleeved or an armless option.

The shoulder length is also on point, not too large (unlike the first outfit). But the raffia on the jacket that serves as a button is unnecessary.

It is not needed on the shoulders, either. The inner shirt looks great. Even without the jacket, it will look awesome, so no problem with that. Looking at the trousers, it’s a no-no for me. The threads on the sides make the trousers fall completely. Not needed if you ask me. Again, I think the trouser length should reach the ankle, and the designer should give it a little bit of adjustment.

This third outfit is almost looking like “prison wear”, because it gives that look. First, the collar is too wide; it should be reduced to the normal neck length to balance with the shirt.

The use of the orange colour is great, I like it. It gives the outfit more exposure and attraction. I see the sense of making both the lower part of the shirt and the trousers baggy, that’s well-tailored. But I think the use of prints on this outfit is off point; it should be retouched. Even if the text needs to be there, adding to its beauty, it should be balanced.

Looking at it, the text is all over the place, too many names in it, it almost looks like street wear. One straight, another upside down. Not good. To add a perfect print, I suggest adding tags or descriptions to give the audience a better understanding of the outfit.

Should all these be done, this would become a marvellous cloth. I like the idea of the trousers; they give this “rugged” feeling. Even without ironing, this can still be rocked, believe that. That’s the part of the fantastic work the designer did.

As I stated earlier, Cynthia Abila’s group of outfits is about bringing “back the forgotten Igbo culture in a way that fits current reality.”

This particular cloth looks perfect. From just looking at it, I can already feel some level of explanation of the Igbo legacy. The cloth is also giving masquerade vibes, walking barefoot (since that’s how all masquerades walk).

I like the idea of the staff, which gives more meaning to the outfit. But let’s not forget it’s an outfit and not a costume. The beads and cowries on this outfit are great, but it’s too much.

It might just make walking in it difficult. I bet the beads applied are heavy, so a bit of cowries would give it a better and cleaner view. I like the idea of the mask, but honestly, I think it looks a little too tight, a little remake would give breathing space and make it look like a fashion.

In fact, the outfit is kind of looking like what a warrior from Wakanda in the Black Panther movie would wear.

This last outfit gives chills. Honestly, if not for the bright red skirt, I could have thought this outfit was made from a sheriff’s uniform. You know those town Sheriffs in Hollywood movies and the likes? Exactly!

I like it when fashion designers think outside the box. The coat is sharp and looks like something that will give comfort. The long red skirt looks very shiny, which I would say is an “attention grabber”, like the coat, it has space that looks very comfortable. The use of sunglasses also gave this outfit a swaggerlicious look. It’s like we’ve never seen this kind of appearance before.

The coat and baggy are a perfect match, but do not work well with each other. The designs on the coat, to me, do not match the red skirt.

Like I called the skirt “attention grabber”, it looks way too bold, taking all the attention, making the coat less important. I can suggest reducing the design on the coat to sit well with the skirt.

Also, the skirt should not be too bold as to overpower the whole outfit. This would make this outfit stand out incredibly, or give it a sheriff guard uniform look-alike, if that’s what it is aiming to be. But above all, I think the designers did a good job on this outfit. Great design!

Cynthia Abila has distinguished itself as a standout fashion brand in Nigeria. It has become a master when it comes to fashion. Cythia Abila, alongside other popular fashion brands, is leading the way in luxury and bridal wear. Cynthia Abila is known for designing clothes that look classic and are wearable for any occasion.

To make my point clearer, Duro Olowu, for instance, is one of the best fashion brands in Nigeria, best known for its very creative use of fabric patterning that also appeals to an international audience.

This is somehow similar to Cynthia Abila, as she works differently and perfectly like other great brands.

Ade Bakare Couture is another incredible fashion house. Famous for using Western African design to make a perfect outfit. Cynthia Abila is similar to this and does the same.

With this SS22 collection, the brand has shown its ability and technicality to blend materials to make them stand out. Finally, I would say with what I’ve seen, I’m proud of the path Cynthia Abila is on. The brand is on the right track to putting African fashion further up the world map.

Abisola Omolade