The Nigerian fashion industry is often associated with Lagos and, to a lesser extent, Abuja. These cities dominate online platforms, runways, and brand collaborations. Yet, beyond these major hubs, other cities continue to shape fashion through tradition, events, and the work of skilled local designers. One of the most overlooked among them is Calabar.
The Calabar fashion scene operates quietly, yet its influence is evident in the city’s traditional attire, the visual storytelling of its Carnival costumes, and a growing number of tailors and designers producing custom pieces for various purposes. This article provides a detailed overview of what makes fashion in Calabar different, why it has remained under the radar, and why it deserves more attention.
The Cultural Foundation of Fashion in Calabar
Women in Calabar wear the onyonyo, a long gown often styled with net lace, velvet, or silk. The outfit is usually paired with coral beads around the neck, wrists, and hair. Men wear the Usobo, a wrapper tied around the waist, combined with a white shirt and accessories such as hats or walking sticks. These outfits are not reserved for stage performances; they are worn during real-life events and serve as an extension of identity and cultural continuity.
This continued use of indigenous clothing sets Calabar apart from other cities where traditional wear is often limited to themed events or photography sessions.
Calabar Carnival Costumes: More Than Performance
Calabar Carnival is widely recognised for its music and parade events, but it also highlights another layer of fashion activity: costume making. Months before the event, groups begin designing and producing detailed outfits to match their assigned themes.
These costumes combine various textures and materials, including beads, fabric scraps, raffia, metal, and sometimes recycled items. Designers involved in Carnival preparation are often community-based artisans who pass down their skills through apprenticeships, rather than attending fashion schools.
The Carnival serves as an annual opportunity for these artisans to showcase their skills on a large scale. While it may be categorised as entertainment, the level of design involved reflects a structured and intentional approach to fashion.
Read More: Calabar Festival’s Hottest Events: Pool Parties, Street Carnivals, and More!
Local Designers in Calabar
Outside the Carnival, day-to-day fashion in Calabar relies heavily on a network of tailors, sewists, and independent designers. Some of these individuals operate in visible shops, while others work from home-based studios or rented spaces in local markets.
Designers such as Concept by Ella are known within the community for producing formal and traditional wear with careful attention to client measurements, fabric combinations, and finishing. Smaller tailoring houses, such as Ribbons & Stitches, are responsible for many of the bespoke outfits worn at events in the city, despite receiving little to no national recognition.
Unlike larger fashion brands in Lagos that target pan-African or international clients, many Calabar-based designers prioritise local demand, creating pieces that meet cultural, religious, and ceremonial needs.
Events Like Calabar Fashion Week Are Creating More Visibility
In recent editions, themes have focused on sustainability, local sourcing, and encouraging people to support Nigerian-made clothing. Participation is primarily by emerging designers, many of whom were trained by older tailors in Calabar or the surrounding areas. The event has also garnered attention from tourism boards and cultural promoters, who view fashion as part of the city’s soft power.
Though media coverage of Calabar Fashion Week remains limited, its influence within the city continues to grow.
Fashion as an Economic and Social Driver
Fashion in Calabar is not just about visual appeal; it also contributes to employment and income generation. Local tailors, bead makers, hair stylists, and fabric sellers all benefit from the continued demand for custom wear.
During the Carnival season alone, temporary jobs are created across the design, sewing, and decoration value chain. Events such as weddings and traditional festivals generate steady demand for outfits throughout the year. The fashion industry, though not formally structured in Calabar, plays a functional role in the city’s economy, particularly in low-income and middle-income communities.
Why Calabar Fashion Remains Underrated
One of the primary reasons the Calabar fashion scene remains underappreciated is its limited digital presence. Many of the designers and tailors work without official websites or active social media accounts. Clients are mostly acquired through referrals, church groups, and family networks.
Additionally, most fashion media platforms in Nigeria focus on Lagos, where brand launches, influencer campaigns, and celebrity features are more common. This does not mean fashion is less active in Calabar; it means it is less documented. The result is a gap between actual fashion output and public awareness.
Conclusion
The Calabar fashion scene represents a segment of Nigerian fashion that is deeply rooted in tradition, maintained by local talent, and quietly evolving. It does not seek attention but delivers consistent quality through cultural wear, costume design, and custom tailoring.
As more fashion watchers begin to explore Nigerian cities beyond Lagos and Abuja, Calabar offers a case study in how clothing can remain culturally relevant, economically significant, and creatively structured without necessarily chasing trends.
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FAQs
1. What is the Calabar fashion scene known for?
It is renowned for its traditional Efik attire, intricate Carnival costumes, and skilled local tailors who craft custom outfits for special events and ceremonies.
2. Who are some notable designers in Calabar?
Designers such as MFCstyles and tailors like Ribbons & Stitches are known for producing high-quality clothing within the local market.
3. How does Calabar Carnival influence fashion in the city?
It creates opportunities for costume designers and tailors to produce thematic outfits that reflect culture, history, and artistry, often using locally sourced or recycled materials.
4. Is Calabar Fashion Week a major event in Nigeria?
While smaller than Lagos Fashion Week, Calabar Fashion Week is an essential platform for emerging designers in the South-South region of Nigeria.
5. Why is Calabar fashion not as visible as Lagos fashion?
The fashion industry in Calabar is less digitally promoted, with many designers relying on community connections and offline networks rather than social media exposure.