50 •
The Lion King
• January - March 2017
Fashion
BuyAfrican
By Funlola Obe
NIGERIA
For those of us who are used to
ordering things from abroad and are
not used to buying things here in
Nigeria, here are a few of my favourite
Nigerian brands who produce their
goods locally with superior quality (Be
warned, this article is mainly about
clothes and makeup).
MAJU
Maju is a womenswear brand located
in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi and online
at
With very
affordable prices ranging from N5,000
to about N15,000, they have tops,
skirts, trousers, dresses, shoes and bags
to keep you looking stylish and trendy.
Think of it as your Nigerian answer to
ASOS.
LUXE SPACES
A relatively new interior design and
furniture company, Luxe spaces is fast
becoming a favorite for affordable
furniture and household items. With
the ability to create custom furniture
designs (couches, tables, beds, desks,
wardrobes, rugs, throw pillows, you
name it) , you end up with furniture
that is not only innovative but also
unique as well (for those of us who
hate to have things ‘everyone else’
has). Check them out at www.
luxespacesng.wordpress.com
SLIPPERS BY KENE
SBK is an initiative to promote the
development of the local (Nigerian)
industry, by using locally sourced
materials and workmanship, to
provide bespoke handcrafted slippers
and sandals. I got a pair as a gift from
my cousin for being a bridesmaid at
her wedding and they were super
comfortable and looked good as
well. And as an added reason to
patronize them, the CEO (Kene Rapu),
is also a Tony Elumelu Foundation
entrepreneur.
I
n recent times, there have been ongoing campaigns to buy locally produced goods. So why is it important for us
to patronize our own locally made goods? In the current economic situation, it makes no sense to spend money
buying FX so you can order things from the UK and the U.S just because we seem to have the perception that goods
(especially clothes, cosmetics and household items) produced overseas are superior to ours, when we can ‘buy African’
and improve our economy as this makes the currency stronger and also supports local industries.
R&R
R & R is a skincare company which
produces handmade skin care
products using 100% natural local
ingredients, especially Shea Butter.
Their Shea Luxury body oil is especially
popular as it helps with clearing stretch
marks and spots (I like to mix it in with
my usual body lotion to prevent my skin
looking dry and ashy). They also make
great Shea Butter Soaps, Liquid & Solid
Black Soaps, LipBalms, Coconut Oil,
Baobab Oil and Container Candles.
YILI
Yili Footwear is an affordable footwear
brand inspired by colors, textures,
culture, and travels. All the styles have
a personal inspiration and story behind
it. The sandals are colorful without
being obnoxiously loud and are also
very comfortable.
GREY PROJECTS
Grey is one of the few Nigerian
designers who offer chic everyday
fashion staples at reasonable prices.
In fact, their mission is to ‘make clothes
you wear every day as it’s what you
live your life in’. So if you’re looking for
fashionable but comfortable clothes,
Grey is the designer for you. www.
greyinc.blogspot.com
Picture: shopmaju.com
Picture: randrluxury.com
