The Hours Before ‘I DO’: RBA Bridal Language at African Fashion Week Nigeria

Seun Emmanuel

In Nigerian wedding culture, the bridal morning is not merely preparatory it is ceremonial. It marks a transition from private womanhood to public union, shaped by ritual, family, and performance. At the 11th edition of African Fashion Week Nigeria, designer Olaitan Maria Olatoke, through her label RobesandBlingsbyAkokomali (RBA), brought this culturally specific moment into sharp international focus with the unveiling of the Ṣísì Èkó collection.

Rejecting the global bridal norm of minimalist silk kimono robes, the collection embraced the unapologetic maximalism that defines Nigerian weddings, particularly within Yoruba tradition. Voluminous silhouettes, layered fabrics, and ruffled sleeves transformed bridal robes into sculptural fashion statements. These garments moved fluidly, balancing drama with softness, and positioning the bride not as ornamental, but as a woman in the midst of ceremonial becoming.

Texture and proportion drove the collection’s narrative. Sheer overlays and feathered details conveyed intimacy and emotional vulnerability, while structured bodices introduced authority and poise. The colour palette was equally deliberate: ethereal whites and blush tones suggested tenderness and introspection, while wine hues and jewel-embellished finishes expressed confidence and sensuality. This duality reflected the Nigerian bride’s layered identity, private yet commanding, reflective yet visually dominant.

The most striking cultural intervention came through the headpieces. Drawing inspiration from the Yoruba gele, RBA reimagined the traditional form at exaggerated, architectural scales. Metallic silvers, deep burgundies, and floral constructions anchored each look with cultural weight. Far from decorative, these pieces functioned as symbols of authorship and presence, asserting the African bride’s authority from the earliest moments of her wedding day.

While the scale of the silhouettes and headpieces raises questions of practicality within a conventional bridal setting, the intention is clear. Nigerian weddings are highly visual affairs, where photography and documentation play a central role. RBA’s designs prioritise visual legacy, treating the bridal morning as a staged, archival moment rather than a private aside.

With the collection Ṣísì Èkó, Olaitan Maria Olatoke continues to expand the global language of bridalwear. By centring overlooked rituals and elevating them through couture sensibility, she challenges Western minimalism and repositions African bridal fashion as both culturally rigorous and editorially compelling. RBA’s work affirms that bridalwear need not begin at the aisle; it can begin with ritual, identity, and intention.