Aso Oke, that hand-woven cloth traditionally set aside for Yoruba kings and queens, weddings, and chieftaincy, is seeing a mighty revival in modern Nigeria. For decades, it had been a ceremonial cloth, heavy and rich, the kind of cloth that carried the burden of tradition and remembrance. Today, it is being reimagined for everyday life, and its renaissance is being led not only by fashion designers on the runway but also by young Nigerians who are repatriating it as a fashion statement along with a cultural icon.
This change is especially true of Nigerian men and women. Earlier, Aso Oke was squarely at the centre of male attire as agbada and fila. But now, younger men are adopting it in new ways, in trousers, jackets, and even streetwear accents. Aso Oke-cut jackets, for instance, are the height of sophistication in urban fashion circles, praised in reviews for bringing cultural pride to current style. The fabrics are lighter, the lines are sleeker, and the styling is minimalist, making it perfect for office wear, occasion wear, or day-to-day use. No longer relegated to the realm of bridal vestige, Aso Oke is now used as part of a greater movement to centre culture in men’s fashion.
Fashion labels are leading the revival. Kenneth Ize, Nigeria’s most internationally celebrated fashion voice, has brought Aso Oke onto runways worldwide and streets by collaborating with makers within Yoruba societies. His technicolour, vibrant suiting reinvents the fabric with cosmopolitan flair, yet remains rooted in the relationship he has with the weavers in Iseyin and other hubs. Ize’s work matters not just in fashion innovation, but also in empowering economically rural weaving communities so that not only is the craft preserved, but also profitable.
Its economic impact can already be sensed. In weaving cities like Abeokuta and Ilorin, fresh graduates and young artisans are returning to the loom, considering Aso Oke cultural calling and sustainable enterprise. Aso Oke is said to have experienced increased exports, which are reaching the United States markets, the United Kingdom, and across Europe. This demand has generated millions of dollars in revenue and transformed Aso Oke into a key merging product of Nigeria’s luxury exports. For those societies that had feared the death of indigenous weaving, this is a revival of pride and actual livelihood.
But aside from economics and aesthetics, the revival of Aso Oke has cultural consequences. In a country grappling with identity change and globalisation, the embracing of traditional fabrics is a bid to reconnect with roots. For Nigerian men, wearing Aso Oke now is not merely a garment—it is a declaration of heritage and manhood in a modernised, globalised world. It is currently trendy to elegantly view Aso Oke being done with sneakers or integrated into accessories like ties, caps, or sneakers, which are signs of a blend of the old and the new. This is a demonstration of a broader Afrocentric fashion trend, in which the local is not hidden but emphasised as a badge of pride.
The role of the state, though subtle, also encourages this cultural phenomenon. The policy in some Yoruba states encourages civil servants to wear Aso Oke or other indigenous materials for a day a week. Once a ritual cloth, it is now entering official workspaces and public spaces, an institutional reminder of how dressing reinforces tradition. Symbolic encouragement reinforces craftsmen and inscribes pride in culture into everyday life.
The return of Aso Oke demonstrates how tradition and trend are no longer what they used to be. What was once kept out of sight for ceremonies is now alive in street fashion, in boardrooms, on the red carpet, and on international catwalks. It is a living fabric, one that has adapted to suit the needs of a generation that is as local as it is global. For Nigerian men in particular, it has also become a means of expression, a way to dress boldly and carry the story of ancestors.
The history of Aso Oke’s revival is not a history of cloth alone; it is a history of identity, economy, and culture coming together in the fashion of today. In its fibres are centuries of history, but also the aspirations of a generation that will no longer wear its heritage in hiding, only sometimes, but as a lifestyle, every day.
