Traditional Meets Contemporary With Austrian Fashion And Nigerian Craftsmanship | The Guardian Nigeria News

In the current environment of fashion globally, self-expression stands at its core. It empowers and identifies us through certain colours, patterns, and fabrics. Nigeria offers a similar insight into vibrant fashion and societal expression through traditional silhouettes.

Fashion has evolved to include contemporary fashion as an extended art form that seeks to encapsulate social currents, timeless culture, and self-expression. Embroidery in native-woven African clothing pre-dates European imported fabrics garnering a trade and creative history that has been setting the stage for fashion now.

“The Association of Austrian Lace Manufacturers in Vorarlberg, Austria, the umbrella organisation of Austrian Lace Manufacturers consists entirely of small, family-owned companies and specialises in producing the very best the industry has to offer. It exports around 98% of its production to over 100 countries around the world. The creativity of its designers and its technical edge is world-renowned.” says Guido Stock, the Commercial Counsellor at the Austrian Embassy in Lagos.

Even today, traditional patterns and textiles are still seen to be part of the ever-changing fashion landscape in Nigeria. Lagos has become home to several opportunities to show the world a glimpse of its rich heritage. The Association of Austrian Lace Manufacturers celebrated fashion, history, and culture in its representation across African fashion through this timeless editorial.

For the editorial, Austrian lace by six renowned Austrian Lace Producers: Getzner, HKG Embroideries, HOH Hoferhecht Embroideries, Oskar, Riedmann and Wilhelm Scheffknecht collaboration with designers; Gëto, NiNie, Jon Pelumi, Weiz Dhurm Franklyn, Derin Fabikun, and Ann Cranberry, was displayed.

Austrian Lace collaboration with designers who expressed their creative interpretations of the fabrics through various designs. The inspiration behind the editorial was to challenge the stereotypical attitude and to remove a stigma around lace catering to only a traditional and older audience.

The collection included one-off pieces that put a modern spin on a conventional textile, ranging from lace suits to floral gowns to elements of street styles. One of the aims is to encourage a connection with a younger audience following Austrian Laces’ decades of legacy and promote exploring new and modern ways of use,” says Frances Ore, Campaign Lead, at the Austrian Embassy in Lagos.

Through this initiative, Austrian lace motivates a younger generation of creatives to define fashion on their own terms. It aims to incorporate a valuable ecosystem involving partnership and innovative collaborations by highlighting why Austrian Lace has been, is, and will be the go-to fabric for all generations bringing iconic fashion moments from different decades to life.