Udy Unveils Styles at 2021 Heritage Fashion Show

One aspect of human existence that cannot be eradicated, no matter the level of contact that we experience, is our culture and our heritage. As a people, we are culture, and culture is us. Our language, fashion, rituals and food are some of the major ways through which we showcase who we truly are without trying to come off as the most recognised culture in the universe.

The conglomeration of these cultural traits is part of what forms our histories and traditions that are passed down from one generation to another. In other words, no matter where we are in the world, our heritage is an expression of our wealth and identities.

Today, African and even foreign designers in Africa and in the diaspora have found a way to engrave African history through fashion. For those designers who are not Africans, they couldn’t help but notice how strong and beautiful our textiles and fabrics are, and as such, joined talented African designers like Uduak Enyie, a 21st-century creative designer, to not only infuse culture into fashion but also sustain it.

As the creative director of Styles by Udy, a fashion brand in Africa, Uduak Enyie played a significant role in the Heritage Fashion Show, a yearly fashion show that displays awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping African patterns and prints on Ankara fabrics.

The Heritage Fashion Show is an assortment of original and inspired designers across the shores of Africa whose sole aim is to create some sort of union between African fashion and art. It is an annual event that is held in Lagos to celebrate African art, fashion, technology and, of course, networking.

It was during one of the fashion shows in Lagos, Nigeria. The spectators were adjusting their sitting positions. Their tablets, iPhones and cameras were taking stances in front of them. Styles by Udy had just been mentioned. The runway models were on their way to do a majestic sashay down the aisle, and of course, they didn’t reduce the audience’s expectations.
Enyie’s fashion story has always been a spectacular one. Her choice of fabrics said a lot in a few words. The prints and pattern combinations are out of this world, almost divine.
When asked about the reason behind the floral prints on most of her fabrics, Uduak gave them what seemed like the most perfect answer.
Apart from the fact that Africa is a home of beautiful florals and faunas, we are a beautiful people, too. Our skin and hair colour make us unique. Our intelligence cannot be overshadowed. So, the earlier we start accepting who we truly are, the better for us’.

Hence, the floral prints on Udy’s fashion collections are only a gentle reminder to Africans, reemphasising the need to accept that we are amazing no matter how we may tend to feel when amongst other cultures.

Indeed, Africa is a continent that is blessed with vast deserts and high mountains, tropical rainforests, endless beaches as clear as crystal, and iconic monuments that tell us a lot about how far we’ve come and where we are going. As an African fashion stylist, Uduak ensures that these realities are infused into our everyday wear and, as such, immortalises the African culture through a vehicle known as fashion.

Uduak Enyie’s participation in the Heritage Fashion Show is her way of retelling the African story through fashion. According to her, her fashion styles are not new inventions but a remodified version of what we used to know, except with a blend of creativity and current fashion trends.