Created by Uju Offiah, Meena is a Lagos, Nigeria-based brand that features unique, modern cuts and original fabrics.
For SS2016, Offiah used NSIBIDI writings of the Ancient Ibo times to create striking prints.
We drew inspiration from various sources for our Spring/Summer 2016 collection. As our first venture into custom made prints, we were influenced by”‘NSIBIDI’. Nsibidi is a pre-colonial symbolic means of communication among the Ibos, in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The symbols were arranged in clusters to tell a story of victory, resilience, love & hate, peace & unity of a Nigerian“.
Details are influenced by strips (ropes) to create a bound effect of unity and peace amidst the challenges & insurgencies ( in the Northern part of Nigeria) we are faced with as a nation. Further details are flap layerings of shapes- trapeziums, triangles and rhombus. Hand embroidered Nsibidi symbols also run through the collection.Architectonic undertones which is our core is visible in origami details and sophisticated cuts.