Itwen Bassey
Ituen Bassey designed and tailored costumes for stage productions and beauty pageants during her undergraduate years at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Her love for the arts and fashion took her to London to further her studies in the American College in London and London College of Fashion where she majored in Tailoring and Clothing Technology. She went on to excel in sample making for established designers.
Her unique use of Ankara produces exceptional but wearable art pieces, which are contemporary expressions of enduring sophistication. This has made her pieces a roaring success in Nigeria. Her fresh design interpretation and fabric treatment have since begun a new era of unique Ankara designs. Her ‘Ankara and Beads’ collection earned her “The Most Innovative Designer” award in 2009 whilst her ‘Independence’ collection earned her “Emerging Designer of the Year, Africa” 2010 at the Africa Fashion Week, Johannesburg. In 2011, at the first ever Arise Magazine Fashion Week, her ‘Love Series’ collection earned her the “Most Creative Designer”.
Source: Nation and Vogue
