By Aisha Sulaiman
When we are talking about the role played by Nollywood in this century, we can’t be diverse from cultural enrichment. Nollywood often showcases diverse cultural practices and promotes national identity by exposing cultural attires and fabrics like Ankara, Adire, and Aso-Oke in their movies. It serves as a platform for cultural transmission and preservation, while also contributing to the cultural economy.
Nollywood has birthed a sense of belonging in the minds of the people. Nollywood costumes are among the elements that redefine Nigeria’s ethnic diversities. These costumes utilize the rich cultural diversities that build up the country to create a unique national culture that could strengthen nation-building. They function as “the films’ overall visual language” (Okadigwe, 2023).
They have become the source of inspiration for tailors and designers globally, a platform where fashionistas have different styles of clothes and headwear as their characters display a fusion of modern and traditional styles.
The list of films that showcase these fashion and trends mentioned below is not limited to:
1. Anikulapo:
Anikulapo is an epic film that portrayed how Yoruba people dressed and also brought traditional Yoruba attire to the audience increased the popularity of traditional beads, fabrics, and headpieces.
2. The wedding party:
This film has contributed immensely to bridal fashion, with designers drawing inspiration from the elaborate traditional wedding attire featured in the movie. The use of Nigerian lace, vibrant beads, and unique headwear has become increasingly popular in bridal designs.
3. King Of Boys: The Return Of The King
This series showcased powerful and sophisticated fashion, particularly the character Eniola Salami’s (played by Sola Shobowale) wardrobe. Her attire reflected her power and status, influencing fashion lovers to embrace bold and authoritative styles.
3. General Trends:
Films also popularized hairstyles and accessories, creating trends that spread throughout the country and leading to the incorporation of African-inspired elements in international fashion.
4.Shantytown and Blood Sisters
These two Netflix productions have shown very current Nigerian street style and modern takes on traditional clothing.
5. Flawsome:
In this series, each character’s distinct fashion reflected their personalities and professionalism. It showcases modern Nigerian professional women’s fashion and has been a large influence on modern trends.
In essence, Nollywood is not just a platform for movies but also encourages and promotes fashion and trends. As Nigeria is a heterogeneous country, i.e., a country with different tribes and ethnicities, Nollywood displayed the native or cultural fabrics to advocate for unity in Nigeria.
This report is published as part of the writer’s internship with Nollywire, facilitated by the National Association of Campus Journalists(NACJ), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.