Pith

/piTH/

noun

1. The spongy tissue in the stems of plants functions chiefly in the storage of water and sunlight and helps plants grow

2. The essence of something.

The Nigerian Streetwear Scene

These two definitions are the defining fundamentals of PITH Africa, a new-age streetwear fashion brand. Born within the dorm halls of a university in 2017, three friends planted a seed that would inevitably help grow the fashion scene of Lagos, Nigeria. They named this seed “PITH.” With Nezodo as Style Director & Head of Operations, Ojemen Cosmas as Creative Director, and Adedayo Laketu as Artistic Director, the essence of PITH seeks to revolutionize and expand ideas about streetwear. 

For decades, streetwear has been a voice for the growing population of youth in West Africa, especially in Nigeria, where the youth population under 25 makes up over 60% of the general population. In places where the youth doesn’t get much say in social, legal, and political spaces, they find an outlet in fashion. PITH amplifies the voices of the youth through the use of color, imagery, and text. Inspiration is drawn from Nigerian traditional wear, their like-minded peers, and major fashion designer, Virgil Abloh.  In an OkayAfrica interview, the creators say, “ultimately, we are documenting to connect the world to Nigeria’s consciously aware millennial generation using fashion and style as our primary mediums.”

Since its creation in 2017, PITH has amassed massive popularity, gaining recognition from major publishers such as British Vogue, Vogue Business, and i-D. They are climbing the ranks of the fashion world, comparable to other major Nigerian streetwear brands such as Daltimore, WafflesNCream, and Vivendii.

PITH’s first collection drop, which they called “Dilly” is an ongoing project for the brand. Branching away from standard collection releases that revolve around the four seasons, the brand is focusing more on the demand of the place they call home. “We see Dilly as a book that is ongoing. The plan is as we grow we release each chapter. At a point, we’ll finally stop Dilly,” PITH explains the meaning behind their first collection in an interview with The Native. “Dilly” has thus far been released in three chapters. The first release was the foundation, getting a feel for the trio’s collaborative style. The second is a bit more refined, delving deeper into the essence of PITH and its roots in culture and community. The most recent release has a focus on sustainability, reflecting the growth of the creators and the community that has inspired them. 

Community Impact

PITH has been shifting the culture through its use of short films along with its collection releases. These films, about 1 to 2 minutes in length, use music and visuals to convey beautiful messages. Something that makes PITH so beautifully different is how it reflects modern attitudes surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. Although gay marriage, civil union, and the creation and “registration of gay clubs, societies, and organizations” are illegal in Nigeria, the attitudes of the youth do not reflect these laws. PITH offers a creative space for and sheds light on the LGBTQ+ community in Lagos, as depicted in the short film “Gay Rights Save Lives Campaign,” making them the first brand of their kind to do such a feat. Fostering conversation in the community is evidently a crucial mission for PITH, whose creators say “we don’t only want you to communicate with the clothes online, we want you to feel like you’re a part of the community which is a strong word we use a lot.”

Ill-defined by labels, PITH aims to expand. With the goal of becoming a major fashion house, among the likes of Louis Vitton, Off-White, and Yeezy, they know they can’t do it alone. The trio urges other brands to seek out collaborations instead of going solo, as many brands chose to do. Even more, they push for sustainability, partnering with sustainable fashion brand R&R Collective, which started a recycling initiative in Lagos.