Guardian Life Article - Diffussion

Pronunciation: /dɪˈfjuːʒ(ə)n/

noun

[mass noun]

• the spreading of something more widely: the rapid diffusion of ideas and technology
• the act of dispersing something, spreading it out from a central point.
• the action of spreading the light from a light source evenly to reduce glare and harsh shadows.

Diffusion Lines are all the rage right now and we recessionistas are grateful to the fashion gods.

Loving fashion is a seriously expensive passion and since designers like to torture us by releasing several collections a year, something has got to give.

Enter the diffusion line.

A diffusion line is a secondary line of merchandise created by a high-end designer that retails at more moderate prices. These ranges are separate from a fashion house's "signature line" or principal artistic line that typically retail at much higher prices.

Diffusion ranges serve several purposes for designers. They can substantially increase sales volumes as their products become affordable to a wider audience at the lower price point, with the designer at the same time leveraging the desirability of their premium ranges to create a kind of halo effect. A prime example of this was the release of Patrick Cox's 'Wannabe' range in 1993. Demand for a pair of shoes carrying the Cox name saw people queuing around the block outside his store and the company's sales increase from 2,000 pairs per year to 200,000.

A few of our Nigerian designers have recently followed this example and we hope there will be lots more to come.

*hint Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, hint*

D.E.A.T LAGOS via Ejiro Amos Tafiri

D.E.A.T Lagos is a diffusion line from the creative director of Nigerian label, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, who teamed up with her best friend, Diana Ubah to create a full ready-to-wear collection that encapsulates financial savvy 

meets style conscious.

D.E.A.T Lagos (l); Ejiro Amos Tafiri (r)

The collection consists of shorter hemlines, fun spaceship inspired prints, delicate yet playful lace and a juxtaposition of blue shades teamed together to create a chic yet urban ensemble that is street style worthy. From the choice of fabrics and colours, the D.E.A.T Lagos brand according to a source, is a collection built around the versatility of personalities that is a charming mix of softness with a blend of an edge.

ZIBAH via Hephzibah

Nigerian design label Zibah, a sub-brand of design label Hephzibah and the brain child of Charles & Andrea Obienu recently presented its Autumn/Winter 2013 Collection.

Zibah (l); Hephzibah (r)

With influences from the mother brand and its relation with fashion enthusiasts, consumers and employees, the brand has produced a collection that fuses European aesthetics with an African flair. Their ethos is to make wearable and affordable pieces for the younger generation while maintaining their dedication to keen and unwavering attention to detail.

CLAN via Deola Sagoe

Clan is a fashion label by sisters, Teni, Aba and Tiwa Sagoe, daughters to Deola Sagoe. The ethos of the label is “a fresh and irreverent style, for edgy, style-conscious girls and guys who like to stay ahead of the fashion curve“.

Clan (l); Deola Sagoe (r)

The label is targeted at the teenage to thirties demographic, offering dynamic fashion that’s easily accessible, yet savvy and distinct.

The overall look is super-stylish, an essential resource for what the cool girls and guys are going to be wearing next.

J LABEL via Jewel By Lisa

The J Label is functionality, wearability, simple cuts, easy individuals that can be worn together or individually, pieces that can be worn from day to night. The J Label is a strong combination of urban cool, afro-pop, and cutting edge beautifully crafted clothes — it is affordable luxury at its best. The pieces are high-fashion-completely-relevant to youth culture; hand embellished treasures, to be admired, hung nicely in wardrobes the world over, then easily incorporated with other everyday pieces.

J Label (l); Jewel By Lisa (r)

photo credit: Telegraph.co.uk, bellanaija.com