Globally, the fashion industry has a labor force of 60 million, according to to the International Labour Organization (ILO) with the market being highly competitive and business owners seeking ways to be at the top of the demand food chain. Tapping into the influential power of the Nigerian TV and Film industry\u2014a market which is estimated to grow to $903 million in 2023\u2014opens a wider market for fashion brands with global streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Showmax, NdaniTv, Accelerate TV, Iroko TV, and others.<\/p>\n
Stylists and costume designers are an integral part of any successful film. When they do not get the job done well, there\u2019s a disconnect between the characters on screen and the role they\u2019re playing. However, beyond this entertainment, there\u2019s the need to influence consumer behavior in terms of purchases. Hence, the push for product placement.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s been a meteoric growth of both industries, with TV & film and fashion professionals working collaboratively. \u201cI think we\u2019ve seen an evolution in terms of costumes aligning with themes of film and TV production,\u201d says Pinaman Owusu-Banahene, founder of Adjoaa, a fashion e-commerce platform with a focus on sustainable African fashion. \u201cI see that there\u2019s been a huge evolution in bringing fashion into TV and film, and vice versa,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
Nigerian stylists and designers are endorsing collaborations with TV and film
\n\u201cI remember when I dressed Adesua [Etomi] in a dress that was going for a particular amount at that point,\u201d Ogundadegbe says. \u201cThe minute Adesua wore it and it became a sensation, the price increased to four times the initial selling price.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nigerian movies like Blood Sisters, The Smart Money Women, King of Boys: The Return of Oba, all currently streaming on Netflix, have caused a lot of buzz not only for high quality production and stellar acting, but for high fashion and costuming. \u201cFor instance with Smart Money Woman where a particular person wore a particular piece, the piece sold out,\u201d Ogundadegbe says. \u201cSo one way or another, there\u2019s always a space for collaboration. [However], questions like \u2018how does it pay both parties?\u2019 have to be asked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adeyemi Olowu, the founder and creative director for HRH Luxury, a Lagos-based fashion brand who worked on some of the designs for Netflix\u2019s Blood Sisters mini-series, says \u201cPeople know me more for my works with Blood Sisters, and reference it when they reach out for work. For my brand, it\u2019s been a success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides the kind of visibility designers are granted for being on major TV platforms, for some, there\u2019s the increase in revenue. Through this, HRH Luxury has increased its profit margin, even beyond its domestic clientele. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about Africa for us, right now. People now call from as far as Canada and the UK and the US,\u201d Olowu says.<\/p>\n
E-commerce platforms and retailers say there\u2019s a potential market
\nE-commerce plays a vital role in TV and film\u2019s intersection with fashion. With the globalization of the Nigerian fashion industry, and watching how TV and film from Nigeria are gaining global support from platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Showmax, just to name a few, there\u2019s an increased demand from those in the West, with one of the best ways to secure demand being e-commerce.<\/p>\n
Aderonke \u2018Ade\u2019 Ajose-Adeyemi, the founder of Losode, a digital marketplace that connects lovers of African fashion to brands in sub-Saharan Africa, tells Quartz, \u201cFrom a business perspective, the synergy and partnership [between these two industries] makes sense.\u201d Referencing Losode\u2019s work with NACK Apparels, a casual wear brand that\u2019s been a longtime sponsor for the Nigerian TV show, Big Brother Naija. \u201cWe\u2019re always on the lookout for exciting brands with a potential market, and although we do not focus 100% on TV and film, there\u2019s an influence there.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is why considering piquing a consumer\u2019s interest and recognition when working on the costumes for films is important. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge cultural export especially because Nollywood is the biggest movie industry after Hollywood,\u201d Owusu-Banahene says. \u201cNigerians have a lot of pride in selling themselves, and that sort of translates to consumerism. It\u2019s why you see a key personality wear something [on screen], and can shift the conversation from not just purchasing, but people desiring to own it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Increasing viewer interest in Nigerian fashion
\nNigerian fashion and costume designers have one important question in mind when it comes to working with TV shows or films: Does the visibility translate into sales? \u201cValidation is good. It\u2019s good for brand positioning and recognition, but how are you turning it into money?\u201d Ogundadegbe says.<\/p>\n
Eze Emmanuel Chukwudi is a brand consultant and personal shopper who spends most of his free time styling and working on his fashion store in Jumia, where he sells male accessories. He owns the Stylefidence image grooming brand, and speaks about how TV and film have influenced his buying. \u201cOnce I see somebody of great style in a movie, it naturally catches my attention. Covert advertising is also a great way to pique consumer interest. It\u2019s when the cast [members] wear clothes, and subtly share to other cast [members] who styled them and what they\u2019re wearing whilst the movie is going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Owusu-Banahene, another great way to push consumer interest in the designs is giving credits to the costumer\/stylists, or taking viewers behind the scenes after the film is over. \u201cCrediting stylists is a good way to influence buying. There can even be promotional campaigns that lead to the release of the film,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cFashion and TV have a very symbiotic relationship with storylines. But away from the storyline, I always look out for the looks,\u201d celebrity stylist Oluwatosin Ogundadegbe, popularly known as \u2018The Style Infidel\u2019, tells Quartz.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12963,"featured_media":14939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,36],"tags":[7,37,38],"class_list":{"0":"post-14942","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fashion","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"tag-apie-project","10":"tag-fashion","11":"tag-lifestyle"},"yoast_head":"\n