Minimal Menswear in Lagos: Kelechi Odu S/S 2017

Designers with a message speak the loudest. The eye latches on to those who create garments that evoke emotion. When scavenging through brands and houses that presented at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, there was only one collection that made me check and recheck and want to understand more. Kelechi Odu’s Spring/Summer 2017 show was captivating for its minimalist styling and clean aesthetic; entertaining in all. Its presence was loud without all the extravagance that we associate with African fashion such as the vibrance in color or the intricacy of textiles. The theme spoke its volumes with a clean, but classic look. 

Odu is no stranger to designing with a message, incorporating his 2015 show with references to escaping oppression. The Nigerian creative (well versed in almost all forms of design such as architecture and product) used his 2016 Miocene Trap collection to shine light on a different subject. His garments were a reflection on the ongoing Niger Delta crisis. The dark color palette of natural, earthy tones styled with pops of reds and blues grew inspiration from the scenes of ongoing battle between oil companies and the people that inhabit the land. 

Through the darkness of the subject, Odu found an oddly beautiful way to call attention to the conflict. Even through his promotional films, he found a way to intermingle sexuality into the turmoil. The videos, in a Mapplethorpe-ian style, are captioned, “They are light and sweet,” with a man being fed what looks like a stream of oil, almost drowning him in it. Saying it is bleak is an understatement.

Odu had already planted his collection with a punch before it was unveiled.