"Obsidian Control" Releases Nigeria's First Fashion Film Video!

Watch, everyone will start making short fashion film videos, but we are sooooo not complaining! The more, the better. But, let Nigeria’s fashion history books reflect that Isoken Ogiemwonyi began this trend in May 2010. Just over a week ago, LadybrilleNigeria.com introduced you to Ogiemwonyi’s Control Collection, what we aptly titled “Obsidian Dangerously in Control.” This week, the designer follows up with a short fashion film showing off the “Dangerously in Control” collection, the first of its kind (fashion film) coming from Nigeria’s fashion industry.

The video begins with a clear story line of gorgeous “Obsidian” ladies hanging out and preparing for a night out. As they descend from a stairway with beautiful wooden rails, they hear a sound that sounds suspicious. The mystery and suspense begins as they investigate the origins of the strange sound.

Shot in a home reminisence of old Hollywood glamour and a woman who likes to be in control, attention to details is paid in almost every scene as these women play detectives. The film’s initial black and white contrast immediately references old Hollywood glamour/50s era. As the film transitions into color, rich aesthetics of old Nigerian/African wealth is captured everywhere as Obsidian’s eye for design details is translated into the interior decor of the home. There is the antique table adjacent to the stairs whose legs are held up by unqiue African looking characters. Not too far from the staircase where the strange sound originates is a heavy antique door made of the finest looking luxurious wood and images of African warriors carved into it. Going through those doors leads to an inevitable life changing experience. An Obsidian “in control” life experience, we presume?

The ambience of the home and design details continues with a a couch whose red jacquard like fabric serves as a feast for the fashion savvy eyes. There is a contrasting red/cream velvet fabric on the couch, adding the “full stop” to the clever opulence in the home. A model is seated on a stool in a living room with live plants; while another poses on an elephant rich vintage wooden stool. Still, another is seated at a bar with a beautiful grandfather clock serving as decoration on the wall of the bar. Of course where there is a resemblance of a Nigerian elite party,fashion included, we “pop sham pain.” A champagne bottle and glass is strategically placed on the bar counter where the model seats.

Makeup and accessories are captured effortlessly in a scene where all three models are outside the heavy wooden vintage door. One model has pink lipstick matching her cleopatra hair style, another a shimmering eye shadow and green chandelier like earring dangling from her left earlobe. To close out the story line of relatively confident women “in control” who seek to explore rather than run from suspicious sounds, Ogiemwonyi’s adorns the models in garments that places the emphasis on the “control point” she is trying to make.

Well defined Balmian inspired shoulders coupled with skinny arms serve as part of the silhouette for one of the star dresses in the film, the black dress. The shoulders on the black dress is a nod to an era in the mid-1930s when women took the masculinity of male clothing, incorporated some curves into it and voila! felt and acted in control. I guess we have never stopped since then, have we?

For a little sassiness, Ogiemwonyi adds splashes of color in green and purple. There is even a cute high wasited black and lime green contrasted petal skirt. The model’s high waist in the skirt is wrapped in delicate and smooth silk charmeuse. Yummy!

Overall, a cute video and beautifully executed for the brilliant “Dangeorously in Control” Obsidian woman.

~Uduak Oduok

Ladybrille Magazine

Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.