Nigerian menswear label Cesar’s Couture has just released images for its Spring 16 Bespoke collection, tapping Nigerian actor Gbenro Ajibade and Nigerian reality tv star and media personality Uti Nwachukwu as faces of the new collection. This is a gimmick that is quite common in Nigerian menswear where the celebrities offer their fame and influence to promote collections in exchange for access to the label’s clothes to wear at public events. It has been done so much, particularly by Nwachukwu, that the lack of exclusivity to a brand backfires somewhat and the celebrity loses their grandeur.
The collection itself, has as its only plus, superior tailoring. The pieces fit quite well and in some of the pieces (Ajibade’s grey check blazer,) the bias elevates the jacket from ordinary to interesting. But that’s about it. The choice of fabric and colours are conventional and predictable, and the collection reminds us somewhat of Emmy Kasbit’s Spring 16 collection ‘Disturbia’.
Bespoke menswear labels need to bring more to the table other than their ability to measure suits properly and sew them well. We want to see innovation in fabric choices and prints and construction. There is innovation to be had, and Cesar’s Couture comes nowhere near innovating, or even deserving the title ‘Couture’.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Photography: Laah Photography
Styling: Moses Ebite of Moashy Styling
Models: Uti Nwachukwu, Gbenro Ajibade, Efex the Entertainer, Dozie and Adams
