NKWO
NKWO is a Nigerian artisanal fashion brand founded by designer Nkwo Onwuka. It makes clothing from natural and recycled fibres, including its own Dakala Cloth woven from leftover denim.
| Founder | Nkwo Onwuka |
|---|---|
| Conceived | 2007 |
| Relaunched | 2012 |
| Signature material | Dakala Cloth |
| Website | nkwo.design |
What is NKWO?
NKWO is a Nigerian fashion label led by founder and creative director Nkwo Onwuka, who trained in psychology before moving into fashion. The brand was conceived in 2007 and relaunched in 2012 as an artisanal label with community and environmental conservation at its core.
History
Onwuka's first investment was an industrial sewing machine and enough fabric for around twenty tops, which she sold to friends and at a London market, where she met her first stockist.
Products and positioning
The brand works under what Onwuka calls the philosophy of less. Its signature material is Dakala Cloth, a fabric developed through a modern strip weaving technique that began with leftover denim and recalls African handloom cloth. NKWO also uses cotton, flax, raffia and recycled denim, upcycles plastics, and sources materials locally in Nigeria and from other African countries. Blue and white feature heavily in its palette.
Distribution
NKWO sells through stockists in Lagos, Nairobi and Accra and directly to customers worldwide.
Why it matters
NKWO is a reference point for circular, craft led fashion in West Africa, turning textile waste into a proprietary material.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded NKWO?
NKWO was founded by Nigerian designer Nkwo Onwuka, who is also its creative director.
What is Dakala Cloth?
Dakala Cloth is NKWO's own fabric, made with a modern strip weaving technique that started with leftover denim.