In 2021, Olohije Raji launched an African fashion brand focused on promoting sustainable fashion; Lohije.
Created to work as a premium artisanal brand that uniquely tells stories of the African Continent, less than a year later, this brand has released two collections, and also walked on the runway of one of Africa’s most prominent fashion shows; Lagos Fashion Week.
To introduce itself in the African Fashion industry, Lohije released her first collection in April 2021.
The Adamah collection culled from a feminine Nigerian name featured pieces that were inspired by West African art and the strength of femininity in Africa’s history.
All the prints, patterns, and designs in this collection were specially crafted with locally sourced Funtua cotton, with a fusion of hand embroidery and handmade coconut buttons to accentuate the detailing.
In October 2022, the fashion brand released its “Where the Lines Meet” SS’22 collection, which was featured at the Lagos Fashion Week.
Inspired by the hands of people who work to bring the ideas of designers to reality, the collection celebrates the input of BTS artisans who work to ensure a fashion piece comes out as desired.
What made this collection stand out is that it serves as an ode to the amazing job these BTS artisans do to ensure a design is created. For example, the Ade Ori bucket hat from the collection was made from loom woven water hyacinth harvested from the Lagos waters, dried and woven into mats then dried into a bucket hat.
The Adedayo shirt is another proof, the relaxed fit stripe pattern shirt with lapel collar was made from homegrown cotton in Katsina state, accessorized with brown gold buttons made from discarded coconut shells.
The level of dedication that goes into creating each piece shows the amount of sustainability this brand is looking to bring to the African fashion industry.
Inspired by African art history to consciously craft timeless pieces, Lohije has always been at the forefront of campaigning for sustainable clothing.
The recent piece was designed to celebrate the 2022 Earth Day with the theme, “Invest in our Planet”.
This collection; Waste is White was inspired by the three methods of investing in the earth planet; reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. The first piece for this collection was on display at the recently concluded Lagos Fashion Week; Woven Threads.
The African Fashion Industry is focusing more on sustainability and it’s great to see brands not only support a sustainable environment but also protect the environment.
