Finding fashion inspiration as a Black person often requires specific searches, such as 'haircuts for Black men' or 'fashion inspo for Black men', due to the prevalence of white men appearing first in search results for general styles.
Black men are increasingly embracing self-expression without being viewed as less masculine, regardless of wearing nail polish or eyeliner. We interviewed Obe, a Nigerian residing in the USA and an aspiring designer for 'BlackTub' and this is what he had to say.
- Can you tell us about your background and how you got into fashion?
I go by Obe, a proud Nigerian now residing in the United States. My journey to this land of endless opportunities began at 16, along with my siblings. But my passion for fashion was always by my side, a constant in a world of change. It all started in my primary school days when I discovered the magic of personal style. I have always aimed to express myself through my fashion choices, to stand out and make a statement. My mother's compliments on my fashion sense only fueled my fire. I am a multi-talented individual who loves to explore my creativity in all its forms, including fashion design, painting, sculpture, and drawing. To me, fashion is like a canvas waiting to be painted, with each fabric and accessory a stroke of my imagination. I am constantly crafting my fashion vision, one design at a time.
- What are your thoughts on the current state of diversity and representation in the fashion industry, and what steps do you think need to be taken to improve it?
Right now, there is no diversity in the fashion industry. I feel like a lot of people get overlooked and don’t get the flowers they deserve, especially the black designers, be they male or female. Late Virgil Abloh was the first black American to hold an artistic director position at Louis Vuitton. Virgil Abloh was like a symbol of hope to young black designers, seeing how he was the only black designer holding that position, in all of the big fashion houses. The percentage of races other than white, in the fashion industry, is very little and it is very clear. A change has to be made. Heron Preston, Samuel Ross, and Martine Rose are a few black designers that could replace Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton. It’s crazy because it is mostly black people spending their money on these designers, but it is never black people put in positions that matter.
- Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the works?
Right now myself and the team are working on Blacktub’s first-ever runway show, which is going to be happening in the fall, of this year. It is going to be huge, showing a lot of new pieces and some runway looks as well. It is an opportunity to put our brand out there and garner some attraction.
- Can you share some of the most exciting or innovative projects that you’ve worked on recently?
The most exciting project I have worked on is the current capsule that we are about to release for Blacktub. I always see the current or the next project as the best one. This current capsule consists of a ringer tee, inspired by Barbara Kruger’s “money can buy you love” art, washed multi-pocket denim pants, a mini rug inspired by the spades card game, and artificial leather gloves. I am someone that is very critical, so I am really proud of my team for bringing this close to perfection.
- How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your designs and production process?
Sustainability is one of the goals we are trying to attain as a brand but it is never easy when you are just starting up. Incorporating sustainability in your design can be more expensive. The leather gloves I mentioned earlier as one of the pieces dropping soon, we used artificial leather to produce and not real leather. Also for our packaging, we are using plastic bags that can be recycled.
- How do you see your designs impacting and shaping the future of fashion and design?
When it comes to design, my approach is to always reimagine how a piece could look differently. Because first of all, there are a billion brands out there, so my question is always how can we be different from the rest? For example, how can we make a hoodie look different from what a regular hoodie looks like and still make it feel like a hoodie and not take away its purpose? That’s always my approach when it comes to designing and I can’t say we are there yet, but we will get there eventually.
- How do you see technology and fashion intersecting in the future?
Technology right now is having a huge influence on the industry and we are beginning to see things done differently like how a fashion show can be done without real-life models, but with the help of AI technology. Technology grows rapidly every day and the difference is going to be a massive one, it is going to take a lot of adjusting for fashion brands to make.
- Can you walk us through your design process, from inspiration to finished product, and how does living abroad play into that process?
I feel like the design process is never final until it is final. I don’t know if you get what I mean but I can have an idea, and sketch it out right now, and that idea will continue to change till the finished product is ready. I literally get my inspiration from things I do every day, places I go to, and the people around me. The first step is always to have the idea or design in your head, and then sketch it out the best way you can.
You don’t have to be good at drawing by the way. While sketching, I also imagine how this piece would look on someone, just to have that idea. The design process can be stressful, but I always try to enjoy it because the process is just as beautiful as the finished product.
- In your opinion, what is the most important thing the fashion industry can do to support and promote black designers and designers of color?
I feel like the most important thing the fashion industry can do to support black designers of color is to actually take a chance on us just like any other race, and give designers of color equal opportunity to be able to showcase their art. I feel like right now the world is waiting on the next Virgil Abloh.
- What advice would you give to aspiring black designers looking to break into the current climate of the fashion industry?
The advice I would give to aspiring black designers is to never give up no matter what, just create, small creations, big creations, it doesn’t matter, just never stop creating. It’s something Virgil used to say, find a way to get your work out there. As much as it can be overwhelming, social media is one of the best ways to push your work to people.
You can find Blacktub on Instagram and be sure to connect with Obe on Instagram
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