Pan African Visions

This is why Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is only wearing Nigerian brands

May 10, 2017

By Torera Idowu*

(CNN)Acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has launched a "Wear Nigerian" campaign, for which she'll wear mostly Nigerian brands for her public appearances in a bid to support local designers.

Her outfits will be documented on a newly created Instagram page managed by her nieces, Chisom and Amaka.

Adichie announced her decision in a post on her Facebook page Monday, where she blamed the government's "disastrous economic policy" for the decline in the country's currency, but said she saw the "Buy Nigerian to Grow the Naira" rhetoric as a "silver lining."

"In the past few weeks, I've bought more Nigerian brands than I ever have in the past... I've been filled with admiration for the women and men running their businesses despite the many challenges they face. I'm particularly interested in 'inward-looking' brands, those for whom dressing Nigerian women is as important as other goals," Adichie wrote.

The Nigerian government launched the "Buy Nigerian to Grow the Naira" campaign to boost patronage of locally produced products -- and with Adichie's weight firmly behind it, Nigerian fashion could get an even bigger global boost.

The author has experienced a few issues with her new wardrobe such as "dodgy zippers" and "poor quality fabric" but is still a fan.

"Overall, I love the clothes, their cut, their whimsy, their color, their flair, their ability to make me feel like myself. Their makers, from designer to tailor to button-fixer to okada-delivery-person, deserve to be supported."

*CNN