Vivendii is the Lagos-via-London collective that you need to know about. Their futuristic, colourful designs are inspired by childhoods in Nigeria and Y2K computer graphics.
Their style is summed up by Trippin World as,“vouge endorsed street couture that bridges the gap between high fashion and streetwear.”
Founders Jimmy Ayeni, Ola Badiru, and Anthony Oye use their own tastes and experience to fuel their collections. Their unashamed love of colour, playfulness, and nostalgia make for a brand that not only excites with design innovation but draws you into a whole different universe. One which looks back on childhoods spent on the internet and forward to a psychedelically hopeful future.
Source: i-D
Source: The Face
And while it cannot be denied that it looks amazing, their work stands for much more. Early pieces were printed with motifs — “Fight For Survival” and “These Are My Church Clothes” among them — were intended to parody Nigeria’s conservative social codes. They hope that their work can act as an outlet for young people in Nigeria facing relentless limitations. Ayeni and Badiru implicate youth-led creative and business initiatives as the key to a brighter future. Brands like Vivendii act as a testament to this ideology and an inspiration for many.
After an 18-month break, last winter Vivendii dropped a collection of tees, bags and neck warmers in honour of the video game Tekken. Recently they’ve introduced tie-dye and aquatic-themed pieces ranging from asymmetric skirts to squid-themed leggings.
Source: i-D
Their tye-die print is inspired by plastic in Nigeria. “We have a lot of plastic in Nigeria — chairs, tables, buckets, all types of things,” their founder explained to i-D, “and there’s a particular kind of tie-dye effect you often see — pink, yellow, and green; blue and yellow; black, purple, and green.”
To stay up to date with their releases, follow the Vivendii Instagram.
