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Ohlanna Bu Zikora's Sculptural Vision

  • Writer: XIXE
    XIXE
  • Jul 23
  • 1 min read

Updated: Aug 29

This image tells a rich, layered fashion story that beautifully showcases Ohlanna Bu Zikora's sculptural vision and cultural storytelling through dress:

Three women in a styled portrait - wearing Ohlanna Bu Zikora for XIXE's Jan/Feb Issue

Cultural Narrative Architecture: Each piece becomes a character in a larger story about Nigerian identity meeting contemporary fashion. The Igbo names - Adaeze, Umeihukwu, Olileanya - aren't just labels but invoke ancestral power and familial connection, making each garment a vessel for cultural memory.


Sculptural Storytelling: The composition itself mirrors the designer's approach - these aren't just clothes being worn, they're architectural statements being inhabited. The woman on the ladder in the Adaeze dress becomes a living sculpture, elevated both literally and metaphorically, embodying the "sense of power" the designer intends.


Textural Dialogue: The interplay between the laser-cut lyerinti motifs, the contrasting panels, and the multiple layering systems creates a visual conversation about complexity and craftsmanship. Each piece tells its own story through construction - the Nkonuko jacket's interconnected layers, the Ashana skirt's reversible panels, the Ibinabo's conical heart lifts.


Maximalism as Identity: This isn't excess for its own sake - it's maximalism as cultural expression. The "BE-ing and Maximalism" philosophy shows in how each garment demands presence and commands space, refusing to be overlooked or understated.

Two women in a styled portrait - wearing Ohlanna Bu Zikora for XIXE's Jan/Feb Issue

Generational Bridge: The nostalgic-to-modern approach creates a narrative bridge between tradition and innovation, where ancestral techniques like intricate pattern work meet contemporary silhouettes and construction methods.


The overall story is one of unapologetic cultural pride expressed through fearlessly complex design - fashion as both armor and announcement.

 
 
 

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