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Unity is Strength by Akinola Davies Jr and Ibrahim Kamara for Kenzo, Nigeria. Photography by Ruth Ossai

Nigerian beauty

By Holly Friend 17 : 04 : 2017 Kenzo : Luxury Futures : Youth Culture

Nigeria – Kenzo’s new quarterly publication captures the energy of young Nigerian communities.

Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze, or Unity is Strength, is the first edition of the publication
Kenzo partnered with film-maker Akinola Davies Jr, photographer Ruth Ossai and stylist Ibrahim ‘IB’ Kamara on the project

Kenzo Folio is a new quarterly publication that will put the brand’s collections into the hands of young creatives each season.

The first issue, Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze, an Igbo proverb meaning Unity is Strength, features the work of UK-based Nigerians Akinola Davies Jr and Ruth Ossai. Under the theme ‘ceremony’ the pair worked with stylist Ibrahim ‘IB’ Kamara to create an image series celebrating the beauty of Nigeria’s Nsukka population.

Outfitted in items from Kenzo’s spring/summer 2017 collection, the indigenous Igbo communities were photographed during traditional ceremonies and rituals, including a beauty pageant. Kenzo will host pop-up galleries in Paris and London in late April to celebrate the launch of the magazine.

‘It’s about celebrating young black Nigerian bodies and capturing them celebrating Igbo culture and traditions, showing that beauty is always present when there is a commitment to the celebration of culture,’ says Akinola Davies Jr.

The Big Picture

Kenzo’s decision to enlist young creatives to help create a more unpredictable brand identity caters for the anti-tradition sensibilities of modern luxury consumers. Read our Luxury Futures Market to find out more.