borderless ideologies
Inside IAMISIGO’s art of storytelling through fashion
The third annual CONFECTIONS x COLLECTIONS is a highly anticipated fashion event that spotlights the continent’s most accomplished slow fashion designers, curated by independent fashion and sustainability publication Twyg. This year’s five-day event coincides with the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel’s 125th anniversary, showcasing its role as the contemporary cosmopolitan heart of Cape Town.
The hotel’s lounge, terrace, and garden are transformed into a stylish setting for salon-style fashion shows — providing a unique platform for diverse, authentic African perspectives and sartorial storytelling. Joining the star-studded list of designers is Nigerian-based designer Bubu Ogisi of IAMISIGO, known as a ‘fibre artist’ for wearable art that brings ancient African textile techniques to the fore. Celebrated for her fusion of artisanal craftsmanship and contemporary style, Ogisi draws inspiration from her motherland, Nigeria, and her travels across Africa, as she crafts pieces that narrate the continent’s diverse cultural heritage. Committed to sustainability, Ogisi emphasises traditional techniques and the stories within materials, aiming to deepen the global understanding of African fashion and invite audiences to appreciate the artistry in her designs. “Our research has systematically explored West, East, Central and Southern Africa,” says Ogisi.
We aim to connect these places and understand the ancient techniques that have been used and preserved across objects, design, and craft, using the body as the ultimate canvas.”
IAMISIGO’S ideology is to highlight and promote cultural crossover without compromising identity. Their work is fully artisanal and handmade, focusing on ancestral techniques while incorporating waste and other unconventional fibres to create wearable artwork. In doing so, the brand highlights the importance of preserving handmade processes and upcycling.
Showcasing their new SS25 collection at CONFECTIONS x COLLECTIONS this year, IAMISIGO aims to open people’s minds to a new language of materiality, expanding their audience by showcasing a performance installation at the Mount Nelson that illuminates the work and its processes. “As an entirely handcrafted brand, we also believe in the connectivity between hands and materials and value every time and space in which our works and practices are showcased,” Ogisi concludes.
