Ituen Basi Presents Ankara & Beads
Posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 at 7:11 AMBy BellaNaija.com
With over 2 decades of fashion experience, Ituen Basi can be described a design veteran. The designer moved back to Nigeria last year after being based in the UK for several years and already, the revitalized Nigerian influence is evident in her new collection. Apart from her fashion qualifications from the London College of Fashion and the American College in London, Ituen is a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Ife – The ‘Ankara & Beads’ collection was showcased at TerraKulture in Lagos recently and you couldnt miss the theatrical influence in the pieces. The innovative techniques and fresh approach to blending various ankara fabrics set this collection apart from the pack.
The designer, Ituen Basi (centre)
Tags: ankara, Ituen Basi
March 10th, 2009 at 8:08 AM
she practically used the same fabric for the entire collection??
March 10th, 2009 at 9:48 AM
LOL!!! help me oo! cant even now see what she did again
March 10th, 2009 at 9:55 AM
m absolutely loving this woman…tres chic…simple elegant designs with exquisite eye catchin fabrics and perfectly wearable…oh then the beads a re a really fantastic complement….
March 10th, 2009 at 10:13 AM
this collection is really boring it is the same thing all thru. And what is it with the t-shirt and the halter dress?
March 10th, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I noticed on the last picture there’s some beads sewn into the bodice of ther dress. I believe some of the dresses have that detail.
I agree with some of the comments about repetition- She could have introduced a few neutrals. I guess with some of them, I want half and not the whole outfit. I absolutely love the quilted high-waisted long skirt worn with the white shirt and beads!
March 10th, 2009 at 1:44 PM
I just don’t have the patience to go through alll these pics Ms Bella!….my general impression? not bad, clean cuts, wearable but nothing over the top for me.
March 10th, 2009 at 1:54 PM
i like being positive but to b honest i’m not impressed @ all.4 a designer that has been based in the UK for years i expect something much better….the designers i have seen on this site b4 this one r miles better…this styles r old n r have beens i really dnt get it…also who stills wears ‘spaghetti’ stripped dresses wiv a top inside….hmmm newayz i really luv d colourful ankaras n d models hairstyles…
March 10th, 2009 at 3:05 PM
men…im sick and tired of this ankara madness….people dat call themselves designers are reallyhaving a laugh…nothing creative here men…even my tailor does way better….boring collection….*yawns*
March 10th, 2009 at 3:19 PM
we have other traditional attire like adire to create with
March 10th, 2009 at 3:39 PM
I think the problem is with editing. She put far too much on the runway!
After a while the eye gets tired of waves of african print, but looking through the images carefully there are quite a few beautiful pieces.
If she had showed 20 looks instead of 2,000,000 I think the collection would have left a better impression. I’ve seen her work before and there is definitely talent there.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:22 PM
PLEASE MAKE THIS ANKARA NIGHTMARE STOP!!!
How many ways can you slice and dice one fabric? How many different ankara designs are there out there?
The woman has raw pure talent, but another fabric than ankara would have been a hit!
March 10th, 2009 at 5:17 PM
hmmm, alot of negative comments…but it doesnt change my opinion, i like her use of ankara,its lively and colourful…its still same old ankara but i think she’s done it up nicely, i’ll enjoy wearing one of her pieces and i def prefer to lisa folawiyo who i think is kidding herself…
March 10th, 2009 at 5:31 PM
bead necklaces n bangles…. looks real good…well done..i’m not trying to be negative but mehn the ankara she used where too bright ,there is so much goin on what happened 2 dull n warm colors…?.).
March 10th, 2009 at 7:36 PM
AMEN to that!
March 10th, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Print (ankara) has always being used its not today’s fashion all other parts of Nigeria- North, East, Edo and Delta have always worn it ,its just Nigeria is taking its fashion scene serious with designers cropping up daily what better fabric to use than our own! keep up the work. It can only get better
March 10th, 2009 at 8:08 PM
in fairness to JBL, she’s doing a pretty good job and her success is well-deserved. granted, she’s not avant-garde or exceptionally “creative” and that’s fine because not every woman’s looking for that. she seems to have a keen understanding of what her target group likes and she delivers. basic business sense, i guess. i don’t think she overestimates her own abilities either. i remember her saying on “moments with mo’” that designing doesn’t take her terribly long as her designs don’t have any fuss or frills to them. i’m paraphrasing but that’s basically what she said. if her thing is to take current trends and ankarize + blingify them and she’s making enough $$ to keep at it, i’m most definitely not mad at her.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:06 AM
Thank you O. This ankara has been done to death. Nice collection though, not great, just nice.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:12 AM
Come on people how many of you can do one percent of what this designer is doin if u have your own ideas lets see it on the runway not on run mouth . For me i commend the designer alot . Amani didnt become a household name overnight
March 12th, 2009 at 12:16 AM
The third dress is stunning! i agree that in this case it seems to be too much of a good thing especially when you see them all on the runway at the same time. The detail in some of the outfits is mind numbing. It would take a few non-stop days of work to put together a dress with the quilting technique (one small square at a time) as she (or her tailors) have done. If she had paired her outfits with more solids, it would have been more palatable.
Why does Ankara seem to genuinely offend some people? Haha…Ah Ah. Print wax is an African institution. Much like embroidered silk is to Asia. Embrace it. It’s not going anywhere.
People are still experimenting with it so some results might seem “weird” but that’s the price you always pay for innovation. Just look at third dress and you will see the potential that this new mash up style she is doing has. I won’t be surprised if an oyinbo designer copies this very soon. Perhaps then it will gain more legitmatcy in your eyes….
Wow. I have written enough to fill a book. I guess I am really passionate about this fashion thing. As a designer, I can’t help but get defensive when people want to flippantly dismiss something because it doesn’t have instant appeal. Even if you don’t like it, it helps to try and at least see what the designer’s vision was.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:38 AM
I really like that her models were all smiles and had on great makeup and hair styles, very chic.
March 12th, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Nobody is being negative or not being supportive of the nigerian attire. all i am saying is i am tired of ANKARA…there are so many ways to use it that would make it more appealing..afterall ive seen designers like deola sagoe do those things. look all im saying is dont bore me with the same old “safe” ankara design..tailors all over lagos do better..abi is it because they havent showcased on bella naija? i give talent where its due and this is so boring..it might appeal to you fine…but dont expect it to have the same effect on me. so because she displayed stuff on here i shouldnt critisize until i create my own? abegi..at the end all these designers need customers..and i think i have every right to say what i dont like. that doesnt mean im a hater..it just means i dont like it and wont spend my hard earned cash on it period!
March 13th, 2009 at 1:30 PM
too many bright colours used but thats her style.
everyone is entitled to whatever they like, abi na her designs na and thats what makes her thick.
abeg enough of all dem kill dream comments.
she will definately get customers who love bright and crazy aligned prints.
its a style for d happening chic out there.
nice
March 14th, 2009 at 3:56 AM
cool concept. i love the colours and fabrics. however, the styling could’ve been funked up better. in the 4th pic esp, the beads blend too much with the skirt.
May 2nd, 2009 at 5:42 AM
nice outfits how can i get in touch with u to place an order
September 4th, 2009 at 2:12 PM
wer can i get details on this designer?
October 21st, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Why does Ankara seem to genuinely offend some people? Haha…Ah Ah. Print wax is an African institution. Much like embroidered silk is to Asia. Embrace it. It’s not going anywhere.
cheers,
troll beads jane
April 25th, 2010 at 10:47 PM
[...] Absolutely steaming HOT New Video from Omawumi! The video is for her single ‘Today Na Today‘ produced by Dokta Frabz. Cinematography by Kemi Adetiba for Dragonfly Productions. The video was shot in Lagos, Nigeria; also spotted Omawumi rocking some pieces by Nigerian designers including beads and bracelets from Ituen Basi’s Ankara and Beads collection. [...]
July 1st, 2010 at 3:27 PM
Ok, I absolutely loooooove!!!!r u guys kidding??I love her pieces cuz they are totally chicky not to mention wearable…got introduced real life to her for the first time at Quintessence where she stocks some of her stuff..
Nothing boring here to me..they all look fab!!
Keep it up n keep doing Nigeria proud!
P.S not mentioninig names but totally agree with what someone said about some other designer….just keeping it real…