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The Journal

The Journal

Notes from the studio on style, bridal, craft and the business of dressing well.

Style — 2 min read

How to choose aso-ebi that photographs well

The fabric is shared; the photographs are not. What to look for in colour, texture and cut before the tailor picks up the scissors.

The styling team, 14 September 2026
The Business — 2 min read

Couture, bespoke or ready-to-wear: what the price actually pays for

Two dresses can look similar in a photograph and differ by ₦400,000. Here is where the money goes, line by line.

8 September 2026Bridal — 2 min read

The traditional wedding wardrobe: a 16-week plan for brides

Engagement look, reception change, family aso-ebi and the gele. A week-by-week plan that leaves room for a second fitting.

28 August 2026Diaspora — 2 min read

Measuring from your phone: how it works and how to get it right

Three photographs and your height are enough to cut a toile. What the process measures, where it is unsure, and five mistakes to avoid.

19 August 2026Craft — 2 min read

Why hand beadwork takes weeks, and how to tell it from machine work

Sixty hours on one bodice is not unusual. What those hours produce, and four ways to check a garment before you pay for hand work.

7 August 2026Care — 2 min read

Caring for beads, feathers and fringe in Lagos humidity

Humidity, sun and the wrong hanger undo more occasion wear than parties do. How to clean, store and travel with embellished pieces.

27 July 2026Diaspora — 2 min read

Ordering couture from abroad: timelines, shipping, duties and video fittings

For clients in the UK, US, Canada and beyond. How a commission runs when you are not in Lagos, and what to budget for beyond the quote.

15 July 2026The Business — 2 min read

Cost per wear: the case for fewer, better occasion pieces

A ₦90,000 outfit worn once costs more per wear than a ₦485,000 gown worn six times. How to buy occasion wear like an investment.

30 June 2026Style — 2 min read

Reading the dress code on a Nigerian wedding invitation

Colours of the day, traditional attire, black tie, owambe. What each phrase really asks of you as a guest, and how not to upstage the bride.

18 June 2026The Business — 2 min read

Organising aso-ebi for a group: a coordinator’s guide

Twenty women, one cloth, one deadline. How to collect sizes and payments, choose styles and keep a group order on schedule.

5 June 2026