Kenneth Ize is a Lagos-born and based designer who is “reinterpreting traditional West African fabrics and Nigerian craft” through his eponymous line, which he founded in 2013. He collaborates with artists and design groups across Nigeria and supports a small community of weavers in Lagos. “We’re reviving, reinterpreting and giving new context to artisan techniques that have given meaning to West African identity,” he told the New York Times in 2019. He was a finalist for the LVMH Prize 2019 and a joint winner of the Arise Fashion Week Award for “Designer of the Year.” His boldly colorful and modern takes on menswear exemplify his own description of his brand: “There is the strong belief that in exploring and nurturing existing cultures, one opens up an exciting territory for creating and inspiring future traditions.” There’s so much of the past in his designs and yet they feel entirely forward-facing.
[Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kenneth Ize]
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