Aso-Oke: Does the Global Fashion Rise of a Nigerian Fabric Threaten Its Artisans?

Aso-Oke, the iconic textile of Nigeria's Yoruba people in the southwest, is gaining growing international recognition, appearing on runways and in luxury collections. This success fits within the broader wave of global appreciation for African fashion, from Lagos Fashion Week to international couture houses seeking textile authenticity. According to Bird Story Agency, which documented this phenomenon, the enthusiasm for Aso-Oke masks a more fragile reality: the artisans, historically women, who built this centuries-old textile trade, must contend with rising costs, growing dependence on imported materials and the gradual disappearance of traditional weaving skills. This situation threatens the intergenerational transmission of a craft that is centuries old. The challenge for Nigerian weavers is to capture the value created by international demand without losing control of production, while ensuring the next generation takes over. This paradox illustrates a classic tension in globalized African craftsmanship: visibility on luxury runways does not automatically translate into equitable value redistribution toward local artisans, especially when threads and dyes come from abroad. An open question remains: can local raw material supply chains and training programs emerge to secure this industry's future?