The first thing to note about the first collection of Sisé (pronounced she-shay) is that the clothes are gorgeous. This word shouldn’t be thrown around so casually, especially in the realm of fashion reviews and criticisms. But with Sisé, it’s quite a perfect description.

Founded by Nigerian designer Tsitse Okorodudu in 2023, the new womenswear brand is keenly aware of its own design DNA. And not just awareness; it understands it too. The brand imbues fashion-forward sensibilities into a design framework that preserves artisanal craft practices and techniques from Nigeria and some parts of Africa.

There’s a surging renaissance of ancestral craftsmanship being integrated by African designers today, a rediscovery of the material culture around dress-making. Titled Mowaré, which means “I have arrived in Itsekiri,” the collection makes use of traditional, craft-oriented textiles from adire, aso-oke, and sakala, fused in sumptuous harmony with fabrics like brocade and organza.

“The rich tapestry of Nigerian heritage, design and craftsmanship inspired the collection for the most part,” Okorodudu said to OkayAfrica, “As a Nigerian and Itsekiri person, I felt like it was necessary to display my culture through clothes while combining this with contemporary influences. The collection was also inspired by my desire to create clothes that allow people to experiment and express themselves in a quirky manner.”

The collection is made up of four bold looks: a blue, silk, cut-out slip dress, an adire layered and pleated skirt, a draped adire dress, and a beaded tera tera/sakala vest. The possibilities for styling are endless. Already, celebrities like Nigeria’s Shalewa Ashafa and Kehinde Bankole were seen in the blue cut-out slip dress quite recently. We are looking forward to what the brand drops next.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.

Photo courtesy of Sisé.