4 minute read
Nayooa - victory for Namibian fashion collaborations
At the end of 2021, I was lucky enough to get an exclusive invite to what turned out to be a Namibian fashion event to remember.
So while I was actually invited by fashion designer and educator Maria Caley, I soon discovered that it was a launch event for a collaborative label by three other phenomenal women.
THE BIRTH OF A BRAND
Born from a need to establish an authentic Namibian brand that is steeped in Namibian cultures, Nayoo came about after a “random discussion over lunch”, as one of its founders narrates. This discussion between the three founders (who are all passionate about Namibian history and fashion) centered on the need for locally produced fashion garments in popularretail stores as well as the celebration of Namibian cultural history in local fashion. The main question that came up in this discussion was why Namibians continue to rely on clothing imports and why there is a continued absence of unique, original fashion statement pieces with a Namibian cultural influence.
THE TREND-SETTING TEAM
The co-founders of Nayoo include Loini Iizyenda, a fashion and textile studies lecturer at the University of Namibia (UNAM), with an MA in Sustainability in Fashion (focusing on the exploration of product development using prints inspired by traditional ornaments, amongst other things). Dr Napandulwe Shiweda, the second member of the team, is a senior lecturer in visual culture at the same university and a PhD holder in History. A public and visual historian, her research interests are on material culture and the different ornaments and adornments depicted, in particular, in ethnographic photographs. The third partner in the Nayoo trio is Fallone Tambwe, a UNAM graduate who majored in Textile and Fashion Studies. Fallone is known for exploring futuristic themes in her garments, creating her own textile prints and manipulations that have been key in her design process.
COLLABORATION GONE RIGHT
Internationally, 2021 was dubbed “the year of fashion collaborations” with big brands cashing in on joint collections that went on to be major trends across the globe. Memorable collaborations from that year include Gucci and Balenciaga’s The Hacker Project, Dior’s partnership with Sacai for their Spring 2022 collection as well as the Telfar x Converse collaboration.
In Namibia, however, collaborations are still centered on designers and celebrities rather than between designers. It was for this reason that the Nayoo brand launch sparked my interest.
While it is still a new brand, the creators of Nayoo hope that one day, the ever-imposing question of whether Namibia has a fashion identity will be a thing of the past. Pulling their unique experiences and skills together, Loini, Napandulwe and Fallone aim to do their part to help build a Namibian material culture through products that reflect the Namibian heritage, preserve indigenous knowledge, and showcase traditional handcraft techniques that are still relatable to the contemporary consumer.
BUILDING A NAMIBIAN FASHION IDENTITY
The Nayoo brand envisions itself to be a fashion and textile brand that celebrates and preserves Namibian cultural identity. As evident in the pieces from its debut collection, Nayoo clothing is made with fabric featuring depictions of ornaments that were worn before the western influence. These are ornaments such as ekipa (decorative ivory button), onyoka (ostrich eggshell), leather loincloths, copper and iron ornaments, etc. The fabric is light and suited to the country’s mostly desert weather.
“Through the Nayoo brand, we hope to motivate more Namibian brands to get inspiration from their surrounding environment, culture and people,” a statement from the official brand launch reads.
Nayoo also serves as a practical example for fashion students who wish to learn how to interpret Namibian material culture in their fashion and textile concepts. The three collaborators of the brand are confident that with the current interest in African fashion from the international market, this is the right time for authentic Namibian fashion to be more visible for reference.
Follow the Nayoo story on Instagram and Facebook @nayoo_namibia. Anyone interested in buying the products and owning a Nayoo original can also do so by contacting them directly on Instagram or Facebook.
Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Communications Specialist, Blogger and Freelance Fashion Writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and on Instagram @rukeekaakunga.
Photography: Andreas Elifas
