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Osun Sèègèsí’

Skirt
2022 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Founded by Adeju Thompson in 2018, Lagos Space Programme is a non-binary fashion design project exploring traditions of Yorùbá culture. Its output focuses mainly on clothing and accessory pieces, created in small batches, although Thompson has started to create textile hangings as well.

Thompson draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, ranging from pre-colonial knowledge systems and workwear to architecture and the work of Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto. Although detailed research is a fundamental part of Thompson’s process, Lagos Space Programme's work is not a homage to the past, but a call to look forward and consider innovative forms of design. Àdire, a woven indigo-dyed cloth historically made by the Yorùbá, is a staple of Thompson’s work. The ongoing Post-Àdire project (of which Project 6 forms a part) explores the future of this textile, translating it into knitwear as well as creating new motifs. Thompson’s work is also a medium for exploring and de-constructing notions of gender and queerness in Africa: ‘There is a common misconception that this [queerness] is a western construct and by exploring design through a cultural lens I aim to educate and highlight Africa’s progressive pre-colonial past.’ Thompson uses the work of Lagos Space Programme to call for a better understanding and acceptance of queer identities: ‘I’m very proud of my identity as a queer man. I live in a society where you’re policed for who you are and my work is a resistance to that policing.’

This skirt comes from Lagos Space Programme’s Project 6, released for Spring/Summer 2022 which debuted at Milan Fashion week in November 2021. The ready-to-wear collection, entitled ‘Osun Sèègèsí’, was a celebration of Osun, an orisha (goddess) from the Ifa oral tradition. Every year Osun is honoured at the Osun- Osogobo Festival, a two-week event in Osogbo. Thompson travelled to Osogbo for the festival to study the aesthetics of the local community during the celebrations. Many of the devotees adorned themselves with lace during the festivities, which inspired the design of the first skirt, made of white lace. The skirt itself has a straight silhouette and ties with a white cotton tape, and is made almost entirely from white lace.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleOsun Sèègèsí’ (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Cotton lace
Brief description
Skirt, Osun french lace, Adeju Thompson, Lagos Space Programme, ‘Osun Sèègèsí’, Project 6 collection, Lagos, Nigeria, 2022
Physical description
Wrap-skirt, white lace with white lining, ties with white cotton ties. A-line to mid-calf.
Dimensions
  • Length: 31.5in
  • Waist untied width: 50.25in
Production typeReady to wear
Production
small batch ready-to-wear
Summary
Founded by Adeju Thompson in 2018, Lagos Space Programme is a non-binary fashion design project exploring traditions of Yorùbá culture. Its output focuses mainly on clothing and accessory pieces, created in small batches, although Thompson has started to create textile hangings as well.

Thompson draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, ranging from pre-colonial knowledge systems and workwear to architecture and the work of Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto. Although detailed research is a fundamental part of Thompson’s process, Lagos Space Programme's work is not a homage to the past, but a call to look forward and consider innovative forms of design. Àdire, a woven indigo-dyed cloth historically made by the Yorùbá, is a staple of Thompson’s work. The ongoing Post-Àdire project (of which Project 6 forms a part) explores the future of this textile, translating it into knitwear as well as creating new motifs. Thompson’s work is also a medium for exploring and de-constructing notions of gender and queerness in Africa: ‘There is a common misconception that this [queerness] is a western construct and by exploring design through a cultural lens I aim to educate and highlight Africa’s progressive pre-colonial past.’ Thompson uses the work of Lagos Space Programme to call for a better understanding and acceptance of queer identities: ‘I’m very proud of my identity as a queer man. I live in a society where you’re policed for who you are and my work is a resistance to that policing.’

This skirt comes from Lagos Space Programme’s Project 6, released for Spring/Summer 2022 which debuted at Milan Fashion week in November 2021. The ready-to-wear collection, entitled ‘Osun Sèègèsí’, was a celebration of Osun, an orisha (goddess) from the Ifa oral tradition. Every year Osun is honoured at the Osun- Osogobo Festival, a two-week event in Osogbo. Thompson travelled to Osogbo for the festival to study the aesthetics of the local community during the celebrations. Many of the devotees adorned themselves with lace during the festivities, which inspired the design of the first skirt, made of white lace. The skirt itself has a straight silhouette and ties with a white cotton tape, and is made almost entirely from white lace.

Collection
Accession number
T.115-2022

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Record createdJuly 7, 2022
Record URL
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