Amaka Osakwe, The Nigerian Fashion Designer

Amaka Osakwe

Today, I am looking at female fashion designers on the African continent. We have lots of great designers emerging from Africa and making headlines in the world of fashion internationally. And i want to look at this young and talented designer from Nigeria...,she is so talented that the first lady of the United States of America Michelle Obama had to wear a piece of her designs. Her name is Amaka Osakwe. Her label is called Maki Oh and this label is really breaking grounds in the fashion industry. Back in 2013, Michelle Obama wore a shirt designed by Amaka when she was on African tour.

Amaka Osakwe was born in 1987. She studied Art at Bournemouth University where she received a BA in fashion studies. She launched her label in 2010 but it was back in 2012 when her label was discovered by the U.S fashion scene when she presented her designs at the New York Fashion week. 

Michelle Obama wearing a Maki Oh blouse by Amaka Osakwe 

She has dressed Hollywood celebrities such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Kerry Washington, Michelle Obama and Solange Knowles. Her band signature is the combination of Western silhouettes and the native materials but mostly its the material that is hand dyed using the traditional textile Arte process Adire.

                                                 SOME OF THE MAKI OH COLLECTION

Way to go madam Amaka Osakwe, at age 27 and doing what you are doing in Africa, is really amazing. This is what we need to see on the African continent, women breaking new grounds and making names for themselves. You are talented and truly blessed.