Anjolaoluwa Abiosun
Most Nigerians are conservatives. That’s all we’ve ever known. For years, fashionistas across Nigeria have stuck to the conventional gendered choice of clothing, with religion being a great influence to why these decisions were made. In those standards, as a man, there are specific clothing items to be worn with no room for ‘feminine’ elements, the same goes for women.
For years, Nigerian media personality Denrele Edun was judged through those lenses of bias. On multiple occasions before he revealed he had sexual relationships with men, he had been referred to as gay. Not because he decided to come out but because people just thought wearing any item of clothing that is remotely feminine makes you gay.
Although we’ve not still grown past those biases, and there is still some snarking comment under posts of androgynous men and women, we are better off than we were years back. Here are five celebrities pushing the trend of genderless fashion.
Bayo Oke-Lawal
Bayo Oke-Lawal had always wanted to be a fashion designer. He was never unsure of this fact when he was younger. However, the direction his brand took was an effect of the pressure society put on him to be a ‘man’. Through his androgynous brand, Orange Culture, he has been able to express freedom with fashion by creating gender-fluid outfits that has in turn helped other people express themselves.
Wavy The Creator
Jennifer Ejoke popularly known as Wavy The Creator, is a musician and overall creative who has a gender-fluid style that leans towards the masculine side. Although most people would read meaning to her fashion choices, her style is simply a mood board. According to her, it’s a representation of how she feels at that moment. ‘I see myself as a canvas, and I like to dress shit up and make me look good,’ she told Okay Africa.
Denola Grey
For Denola Grey, style is a way to express his reality. The fashion consultant over the years has made a statement on multiple occasions with his androgynous twists to basic gender-defined outfit choices. From conventional suits to crop tops, the fashionistas slay them all while looking glam and luxurious.
Bella Shmurda
When you think of fashion-forward men in the Nigerian music industry who are not afraid to make a statement with outfits, Bella Shmurda is probably not the first name that comes to mind, but on multiple occasions, he has shown that he should make the list.
The rising music star who made a fashion statement on the BBNaija live show stage with his skirt suit ensemble had tongues wagging, but that’s not the first time he had comfortably rocked a skirt. In a video to his song ‘Philo’ ft Omah Lay, he wore a skirt and he has done this on multiple occasions. For Bella wearing skirts is his own unique way of expressing himself.
As more brands are moving towards genderless fashion, more people are seeing fashion as a way of expression rather than a determinant of gender.
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