Amid the destabilising uncertainty of lockdowns and quarantines, many of us reverted to comfort (sweatpants, anyone?) and a refocused mindset on what is truly meaningful. But THIS IS US, a Nigerian brand founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife duo Oroma Cookey-Gam and Osione Itegboje, was ahead of the curve. The couple, dissatisfied by the lack of beautifully designed, easy-to-wear and consciously made clothing available in Nigeria, decided to create their own brand. “We wanted to [use this as a vehicle] to fall in love with Nigeria deeply; to discover our own version of beauty and celebrate it,” says Itegboje.
With principles steeped in sustainability and “Nigerian excellence”, all the clothes are 100% made in Nigeria using cotton sourced from Funtua in the state of Katsina in the North-West of the country. The fabrics are then dyed at the ancient Kofar Mata pits in the neighbouring state of Kano. Both the 12-strong permanent collection – Uniformwear – and the brand’s more transient fashion range play on updating traditional West African silhouettes such as caftans and loose trousers. While especially beloved by Lagos’ creative community, Itegboje maintains THIS IS US is for everyone and every occasion, from lunch to meetings to parties to bed, and “it just works.”
Faridah Folawiyo is an arts curator and writer based in Lagos and London
