By Dapo Akinrefon

A foremost Pan-Yoruba Professional Group, Yoruba Professionals Foundation, YPF, on Friday, unveiled the first batch of her indigenous clothing brands and products through SOGE DESIGNS, a fashion initiative of the organisation designed to reinvent and sustain the cultural legacies of Yoruba race using fashion as a vehicle.

The group’s Director of Communications and Investment Promotions, Mr. Sola Fayemi, in a statement, said the organisation decided to toll this path as part of her commitment towards promoting the heritage of the rich Yoruba culture within and beyond the shores of the continent.

Fayemi said the first batch of SOGE DESIGNS brands such as Midi Dress, Kimono Jacket, Junksuit, Maxi Dress, Maxi Elegance, Palaszo Pants and Top, Short Knickers, Wrap Skirt and Top and Track Pant and Top produced using Adire and Ankara Fabric Prints was exported to the United States of America on Wednesday 4th August, 2021.

The Founder and President of the Group, Mr. Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye, affirmed that the initiative and brand design was stimulated to reinvent and sustain the Yoruba cultural legacies.

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Adeleye said: “It is our core mandates as a responsible and responsive organisation of Yoruba Professionals to be strongly committed to initiatives aimed at promoting our culture and empowering Yoruba Descends through innovative solutions, and SOGE Design is one of the gateways.

“The cardinal objective of our fashion brand, SOGE DESIGNS, is to use and engage made-in -Yoruba Adire, Ankara and Aso-Oke to produce smart wears in various forms for exportation to Europe, America and other continents of the world with the aim of promoting Yoruba cultural heritage in the same manner, the Colonial masters have dominated African markets with their brands by propagating their culture.

“Yoruba is richly blessed culturally and the enviable legacies particularly in the area of Fashion must be showcased and propagated to other continents of the world. We have cultural and special fashion instincts which are our pride and such should be demonstrated through a decisive and deliberate approach.

“We are determined to use SOGE DESIGNS as a tool for not only the appropriation of Yoruba designs but to globally integrate our culture into modern and global fashion initiatives by partnering with popular Foreign and Global Fashion Brands.

“Yoruba Fashion through our initiative revolves around identity, self-love, dignity, attitude and ownership to preserve its culture, heritage and connection to the international community.”

Vanguard News Nigeria