Nigerian knitwear label BLOKE is demonstrating how independent fashion brands can be drivers of local, sustainable innovation and activism. With many people growing tired of the fashion industry’s surface-level green efforts, they’re turning to brands that let them be activists in their own right.

With emerging conversations on the need for a more size-inclusive industry, Nigerian fashion designers and retailers are working to normalise plus-size clothing. Women are increasingly growing tired of unrealistic beauty standards and turning to brands that provide more varied offerings.

Launched in 2021, Jendaya is opening up conversations about the underserved luxury market in Africa. Through its e-commerce platform, it’s making international labels more accessible to shoppers on the continent while shedding a much-needed spotlight on home-grown brands.

Roughly 70% of Nigerians are under the age of 35, yet while they fuel the nation’s culture and economy, social values and legislative agendas are still, by and large, dictated by older generations. How are young people now pushing back against traditional attitudes and making their voices heard?