Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Torlowei is a women’s fashion brand founded and designed by Patience Torlowei. Operating originally as Nigeria’s first registered lingerie manufacturing company under the name Patience Please, Torlowei later rebranded and expanded the company to include bridal wear, ready-to-wear and couture clothing. Having studied Textile Arts and Technology at the Yaba College of Technology, Nigeria, Torlowei moved to Brussels in 1989, where she later taught herself to make lingerie as a stay-at-home mother. Professing a love for the “fragility and intimacy” of lingerie, Torlowei spotted a gap in the market for luxurious, made-in-Africa lingerie, noting that in her native Nigeria the lingerie market was largely second-hand. In 2011 Torlowei moved back to Nigeria, having lived in Europe for more than 20 years. The brand states a commitment to ethical and sustainable production and size inclusivity, aspiring to become “the premiere black-owned lifestyle brand from the African continent.”

The Irene dress is named after one of Torlowei’s early supporters and closest friends, and is made of a light cotton mousseline produced in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The dress is an elevated version of the brand’s Adaeze dress, utilising the same cut and materials, but with additional lace trims. Cut in a long, loose style inspired by traditional bathing dresses, the voluminous fabric acts purposely to give women spatial presence. The dress is sold as ‘one-size’; its generous cut and elasticated neckline offering comfort and flexibility of fit, simply slipping on without the need for fastenings. The neckline and hem are trimmed with silk embroidered lace, also from St. Gallen. The lace trims echo the brands ongoing lingerie specialism, and are typical of the delicate and feminine aesthetic for which Torlowei is known.