UK PM, Theresa May is so excited to meet Emmy Kasbit, the Nigerian Designer of her Ankara jacket. She took to her Instagram page to post a picture she took with him.
She captioned it;
“I was delighted to meet @emmykasbit who designed the jacket I wore in #Nigeria #UKAfrica#MadeInNigeria”
Emmy Kasbit, owned by Okoro Emmanuel, was launched in 2014. It was born out of a passion to dress unconventional men and women. The brand’s aesthetic is defined by clean and architectural cuts, and since winning the Fashion Focus Prize at Lagos Fashion Week in 2017, Emmy Kasbit’s recent collections have placed an emphasis on reinterpreting and reinventing vintage looks in a contemporary way.
In addition to the accolade, the Emmy Kasbit brand won a $13,900 cash grant, and business mentoring from Ijeoma Ogbechie, an expert in finance who is currently a vice president at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and founder of Avivere, a fashion e-commerce startup.
Taking inspiration from his family and his Nigerian heritage—particularly his father and the looks he wore in the 70s in Nigeria—Emmanuel’s aesthetic is largely guided by his roots. As the brand continues to grow, Emmy Kasbit remains a pillar of the Nigerian fashion scene.
One of his collections, “An Ode to My Father” draws inspiration from photos of the designer’s father taken in 70s Nigeria. With this line, Emmanuel Okoro reimagines how his father would have dressed had those photos been taken now. Using Akwete fabric, which is indigenous to the Igbo tribe, the collection is a tribute to Okoro’s family and heritage.
Speaking to The Glow Up about the future of African fashion, Emmanuel said: “It just needs more investment into providing an unprecedented fashion experience from start to finish and that involves fabric production.”
Emmy Kasbit has styled celebrities like, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Flavour, Denola Grey, Lola Oj, Ric Hassani, Ebuka Obi- Uchendu, Adekunle Gold, Beverly Naya, Yemi Alade
