From Indigo to Innovation: The Modern Reinvention of Adire
The colourful, beautiful and vibrant nature of adire clothes on a rack at the market photographed by Azeezah Oyeleke
This is the story of the indigo cloth, from its inception to where it is today. It began as a cloth for both ceremony and everyday wear among the Yoruba people in Nigeria. This cloth features deep indigo blues and tie-dye patterns. Its inception could be traced to the beautiful hands of dyers in Osogbo, Abeokuta, and Ife. The indigo-dyed cloth known as Adire is now a significant part of the African and global fashion industry.
The word “àdìrẹ” comes from the Yoruba phrase Adi + Re, which means to tie and dye. It started as a handcrafted art passed down through generations. Adire was produced by women artisans who soaked cloth in indigo dye and resisted certain areas with starch or wax.
Adire has moved over the years from its birthplaces and is now a part of global high-fashion conversations. It’s showing up in silk blends, modern fashion silhouettes, and international collections. Despite all this growth, it continues to retain its handcrafted soul.
Across Nigeria's creative landscape, you’ll find Adire resurfacing with a new purpose. We have the popular Dye Lab brand, owned by Rukky Ladoja and Ozzy Etomi, which offers various Adire collections. From dresses to bottoms, all their pieces are hand-made and colorful. Also on the list is Akinniyi Oyinlola (of Sylph Apparel), who has showcased collections where Adire patterns are woven into shirts and luxury ready-made garments. There are also training hubs such as the ADIRE‑OODUA Textile Training Hub in Ile-Ife. The purpose of this hub is to train the next generation of dyers and pattern-makers. They have one goal: to position Adire explicitly in national and international markets.
There’s a huge demand for Adire both locally and internationally. The value of the craft is ever rising, and craftsmen are moving from village production for local markets to partnerships with international brands. However, as with any growth, the rise of Adire internationally comes with tension. There is an influx of mass-produced imitations —cheaper, less authentic Adire. This poses threats to the original artisans’ livelihoods and the craft’s integrity. Even with all this, we must acknowledge the new era of traditional technique mixed with innovation.
What makes this story important isn’t just the pretty prints. The prints are lovely, and the never-ending possibilities of colors and patterns are spectacular. But this story is important because of the level of cultural sustainability that practices like Adire bring to the table. It’s also important because of the economic empowerment and creative identity that Adire brings to the table. When Adire steps into fashion conversations outside Nigeria, it’s an assertion that African heritage belongs in the future of fashion.
The modern reimagining of Adire opens up several doors. It gives artisans a stake in the global value chain. They get to turn their craft into a full-blown, profitable career. Also, it places Nigerian textile heritage on an export platform. It’s more than just Africa. Adire provides the perfect opportunity for fashion brands to key into sustainability. So it aligns with the growing trend of authenticity and environmental responsibility.
If we want Adire to continue to grow, there’s still work to be done. First, the infrastructure for large-scale production is weak. This is one of the reasons why the market is filled with cheap imitations that reduce the value. Also, many artisans don’t have access to the global stage, so there’s little growth. However, it’s quite clear that the future of Adire is bigger than what we’re looking at right now.
One thing to note about the story of Adire is that tradition and innovation need not be separate paths. It can be a singular path that enables African craftsmen to look back and ahead simultaneously. That’s the most beautiful part of this all.