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This Designer is Bringing Nigerian Fashion to a Whole New Level

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Chinaza Moses. If you don't know that name then trust us, you will soon. Designer by day and changemaker by night, her designs, titled C. Adeola, are ones you will never forget.

Last week, I had the honor of attending the premiere of her sophomore collection during NYFW and it’s safe to say that there is nothing else like it anywhere. Every design is full of life, graphics, and culture, in a way that would make anyone feel at home—no matter what your heritage is. The pieces were inspired by her Nigerian background with a modern twist that would make any person do a double take. When I asked about the reasoning behind her collection, she told me that she imagined a "young Nigerian girl coming to America and getting off the subway in Brooklyn in 2017." And it shows. 

“There is something for everyone here, whether it’s a bright maxi dress or a tropical printed jumpsuit”, one of the attendees said after the show completed. And she is right. The collection, with a total of 20 looks, was cohesive with every outfit representing a different piece of Nigerian culture all tied together with every model wearing patterned turbans. 

One of the models in the show, Miyah Knight, 23, has been modeling for two years but really hasn’t seen anything like C. Adeola before. “The designs are so unique and beautiful and it’s exciting to be a part of something as special as this,” she said about Moses’ newest collection, titled The Arrival.

I also got a chance to sit down with Moses to discuss her collection and when asked what type of woman she envisions wearing her clothes, she said that, "The C. Adeola woman is a woman who isn't afraid to be herself, she is strong, she's aware of the fact that she is a woman but doesn't allow that to depict her clothing choices. She believes that her clothing is an extension of the light inside of her, and it's her calling in life to spread that light to the nations." And it showed through the models wearing her outfits. 

Although she emphasizes that anyone can wear her clothes regardless of background, she wanted to give women from ethnic backgrounds a chance to show their stuff. "I feel like a model is a model no matter their ethnic background, but the under-representation of ethnic models on the runway is just disheartening, so if my company can utilize a people that the world has rejected then I'm happy to do it, because I know what it feels like to be rejected when you are WELL qualified, and sometimes people just need someone to believe in them and a shot at life"—so she gave them that shot. 

At the end of the day when Moses looks back at her collection, no matter how many followers she has on Instagram (which you really should follow), the impact that she wants to have on the fashion industry is far greater. "I feel as though the depiction of women's clothing has become over-sexualized and dark, the fantasy and character of it is gone," and through C. Adeola, she wants to change that.

In fact, she believes there needs to be more cultural brands/styles like hers. "I believe that we as people find a sense of identity with culture whether it's ours or someone else's, and living in America it teaches people how to accept and incorporate difference into our daily lives. So C. Adeola wants to show off, embrace and infuse culture into clothing and not be ashamed of it"—and other creators really should follow her lead. 


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