By Henry Obetta

Founder and Creative Director of luxury fashion house Odio Mimonet, Odio Taiwo Oseni, has called for the revival of large-scale cotton farming and investment in Nigeria’s textile industry, saying it is critical to reducing dependence on imported fabrics and strengthening the country’s fashion sector.

Oseni made the call during an interview with Vanguard while discussing the forthcoming unveiling of Odio Mimonet’s new brand identity and its future growth strategy.

According to her, the high cost of sourcing quality materials remains one of the major challenges facing Nigerian fashion designers, alongside poor infrastructure, unstable power supply and the absence of a well-defined support structure for emerging talents.

“These are some of the factors affecting designers today. When we source fabrics, sometimes we get them locally and sometimes we have to import them, which can be very costly,” she said.

She argued that revitalising cotton farming would provide a sustainable supply of raw materials for local textile manufacturers and fashion businesses.

“As a country, we need to go back to farming and investing in the cotton industry. By doing this, we will automatically feed the textile sector and have enough locally made materials that we can use for our products,” she added.

Oseni also stressed the need for a more structured fashion ecosystem capable of supporting and promoting young designers.

“Our young designers need sponsorship. They need a structure that can push them forward and give them visibility. Social media is helping to put their work out there, but more needs to be done,” she said.

Speaking on the rationale behind the brand’s ongoing refresh, Oseni explained that the move was driven by a desire to expand the brand’s global appeal while remaining rooted in its African identity.

According to her, the rebrand represents an evolution of the company’s design philosophy and long-term vision.

“We want our pieces to be timeless. There are only a few globally recognised brands from Africa, and we want to help bridge that gap. We want our brand to become transgenerational and make a significant impact in the global fashion space, just like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and other international luxury brands,” she said.

Oseni further revealed that inspiration for her designs comes largely from her environment, travels and cultural experiences.

“I draw ideas from every colour, texture and culture around me, whether it is in my home, workplace or cities I visit. I am widely travelled and when I see something that resonates with me, I tap into it and integrate it into my designs,” she explained.

Looking ahead, she disclosed that Odio Mimonet plans to expand its product offerings with the launch of a menswear line, ‘Taiwo,’ later this year.

The fashion entrepreneur expressed optimism about the future of the Nigerian fashion industry, noting that with stronger investment in local production, improved infrastructure and greater support for designers, the sector could become a major contributor to economic growth and global cultural influence.