Forget ‘made in Italy’, we want ‘made in Nigeria’
The name itself breathes confidence: THIS IS US. They’re a contemporary fashion brand that promotes Nigerian made homeware and fashion, known for their uniform outfits in Indigo that also produces laptop sleeves and other cute items you didn’t know you needed.
THIS IS US is run by Oroma and Osione, a married couple that recently moved from Lagos to London. This story of THIS IS US started when Oroma decided she wanted to make a white shirt collection in 2016. At first, she thought she had to produce in Turkey, one of the world's largest clothing manufacturers. “But then life happened”; Oroma got pregnant. Oroma and Osione started a family and slowly but surely shifted their focus, they decided to produce locally, in Nigeria and show the world what Nigeria has to offer.
Photo by Coco Olakunle
In their quest for locally made materials, Osione and Oroma stumbled upon Funtua, a type of cotton grown and produced in Nigeria. They fell in love with the material and immediately felt a sense of pride. “We wondered why no one knew about this amazing fabric and why it wasn’t being sold here [at the market in Lagos],” Osione recalls. Upon returning to Lagos, they began spreading the word, and Oroma came up with their catchy tagline: ‘This is Funtua, Nigerian made Cotton.’ Six months after their first trip, they booked a second one to learn more about the fabric. “We had to make sure it wasn’t imported…” Osione jokes. They visited the farms where the plant’s seeds are grown, toured factories, and explored the dyeing pits where men color the fabric in various shades. “It was an incredibly inspiring journey. In the factory, for example, the staff wore stunning green outfits. Those outfits inspired my workwear designs,” Oroma added.
Photo by Coco Olakunle
Most of the items launched by THIS IS US are dyed indigo [blue]. “Blue makes perfect sense in Nigerian culture,” says Osione. “We associate green – white – green with Nigeria, but if you were to think of Nigeria as a color, you’d see indigo in daily life.”Osione refers to Aso Oke, another Nigerian cotton fabric primarily used by the Yoruba people, which is often indigo as well. “We didn’t want a color that was obviously Nigerian, but one that is Nigerian once you know the story behind it.”
“With THIS IS US, we want to show that quality is made here,” says Osione. He explains that in Nigeria, Italian fashion is often seen as high quality simply because of the ‘Italy’ label. “We believe in things made here, in the term ‘Made in Nigeria.’ That’s why we chose the name THIS IS US – Quality is found here, this is us!”
Osione and Oroma made a strategic move: they relocated their family to London. “It was time to represent Nigeria on the global stage,” they tell us. “In Europe, there are ongoing conversations about slow fashion, craftsmanship, and mindful consumption.” They want to expand the potential of THIS IS US, showcasing their work to Europe and the rest of the world. “We see the brand as a global brand. There are opportunities for collaborations here, we can do pop-ups, or even open a store!”
Curious about their pieces? Browse and shop at: https://www.thisisus.ng or follow them on Instagram.
Photography by Coco Olakunle
