When the Aisy Fashion Academy class of 2023 graduates put forward their final projects, signifying their preparation to begin the arduous journey into the fashion industry, one promising student, Christabell Ifietekhai stole the show with her exceptional creativity. With her graduate collection titled, “The Bliss,” Christabell showcased a collection that is woven in family values, typical Nigerian modesty, eco-friendly and environmental sustainability. The design features a plain satin and silky material crafted in folds at the top with a carefully slanted neckline to the right-shoulder ensuring irregular design but something comfy and different. The flowy bottom-down dress which is easily detachable is a masterclass artistic prowess that gives the design a multi-purpose use and outlook.
The inspiration and concept of The Bliss graduate collection for Christabell is the ideals and love for family values. In Nigeria, the family is an important component of the society wielding significant respect, control and influence – this is why weddings are huge celebrations in every culture in the country with millions of adult women dreaming to be at the altar in their lifetime – and this is the objective of The Bliss collections, bringing unimaginable happiness and joy to the brides as they take the vows to begin the journey of building and procreation for the society.
Another important influence of The Bliss collections design is the immediate environment where Christabell grew up. Flipping through her parents wedding album and seeing the foreign-sewn, white wedding dress adorned by her mother in the 90s drawing such ecstatic joy from the celebrants and guests encouraged her to become a designer creative to put such and more smiles on the faces of the young girls of her own generation and after. The Bliss graduate collection although a simple design with no intricate weavings and stitches, is a flamboyant and exceptional presentation with a classy, luxury, shining and smooth texture for which the satin material is synonymous.
Earlier on the run-way presentation, the fair-skinned model carried The Bliss collection design with so much elegance and demeanor cat-walking confidently through the beautifully decorated aisle with camera flashes and many heads shaking in pleasure. The resultant photos from the runway drove lots of enquiries for The Bliss collection on the platforms of the Aisy Fashion Academy.
Evidenced on the platforms of Aisy Fashion Academy, leading fashion training and re-training school in Nigeria, is the several positive engagements regarding The Bliss graduate collection. Many Nigerians, aspiring brides-to-be shared glowing commendation for Christabell’s exceptional design for maintaining and promoting the Nigerian culture of modesty, particularly for a bride who is seen and regarded as a precious jewel. The Bliss collection fused the modern contemporary design of elegance, snow-white flowy charm and attractiveness with Nigeria’s traditional demure, all parts of the woman’s body properly covered, a secret waiting to be unraveled. Although times are changing and many are influenced beyond the traditional cultures, it is inherently commonplace across Nigeria in terms of religious and cultural doctrines and practices for the bride to be well covered-up and Christabell’s The Bliss graduate collections not only duly respected these Nigerian traits but promoted it to also appeal to current trends and stylishness.
In terms of thinking about the future and the environment, The Bliss graduate collection is predominantly crafted from a sustainable and environmentally friendly material supporting the global concept of environmental protection and sustenance for which Christabell is an astute believer. Interestingly, also as part of sustainability, The Bliss graduate collections caters for beyond the wedding occasion as it is synonymous with very many wedding dresses designs. In a country like Nigeria where huge resources are expended on weddings, Christabell’s The Bliss collections ensures the design is wearable for another occasion after the wedding and even perhaps, easily reusable from one generation passing it down to the other.
Whether it is for elegance, flamboyance, uniqueness, attention grabbing or modesty, The Bliss graduate collection exceptional design ticked all the boxes.
