Fashion, Food, and Photos
A week in the dye pits of Nigeria
I’m a designer, working and living in New York City. I traveled to Nigeria on November 13th of this year to continue my dyeing apprenticeship with a group of Gambian migrants and produce my Fall 2014 collection. What follows are photos I took during that trip.
Nigeria is developing a workout culture, but it’s still relatively new. The “Machos” of Lagos have created their own version of muscle beach in a suburb of Lagos, where they work out in makeshift gyms. Yusuf, one of the Machos, agreed to model the results of one of my dyeing projects.
Markets are my favorite part of my visits to Nigeria and market women are their backbone. I love their brusque manner. It’s all commerce, all the time.
Taking a rest, pre-prayers, during the workday. I love this picture, simply for the colors in it. All of the fabrics are being prepared for dyeing.
My favorite food, only available from August until November and then it’s gone. The best part about produce in Nigeria: once it is out of season, it is no longer available.
One of the hardest working men I have ever met. Mr. Baldeh is a Gambian immigrant, ridiculously creative, always innovative.
I cannot do justice to this place. Balogun market is probably the craziest place in all of Lagos, and I came upon it in the aftermath of a fight.
You might be wondering why one would need to advertise that one’s home is not for sale. “This House is Not For Sale” litters the walls of homes throughout Nigeria. This is a relic from the bad old days of 419 real estate fraud when homes would be sold out from under their owners by scammers.
Dye consultation with our candle wax man amid rams being bred for Ramadan.
Jolomi is the renegade artist of the dyeing pit, an incredible artist at work.
These iconic buses (known as danfo/molue) are everywhere in contemporary Nigerian art and the streets. One would think they really embody Lagos. Frankly, I loathe them.
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