NOVEMBER 22, 2022

Vrede919, is a Nigerian menswear brand based in Los Angeles with the mission of connecting Africans worldwide to their creativity, inventiveness, and heritage. We also encourage men to embrace and define their beauty, take control of their own stories, and be their own men. In furtherance of our mission to encourage men’s involvement or participation in fashion, we make an effort to sensitize people through our series - "The Men of Influence." This helps to create awareness amongst men on the importance of exuding beauty in their fields of practice, be it music, fashion, technology, etc.

With the upsurge in African culture being talked about in the diaspora and on a global scale, from African musical artists winning Grammys and collaborating with international names to African designers such as Kenneth Ize bringing new trends inspired by traditional African techniques to the industry, it is clear that Afro-fusion, be it fashion, food, or music is quickly becoming a heavy influence in pop culture. As the world continues to take a positive interest in African pop culture, it becomes even more necessary to have conversations about the background of these cultural influences to educate those seeking involvement or inspiration from it. It is important to encourage Beautiful Masculinity, especially in the Black/African community where men are expected to be hard and “all-male”.

Traditionally men are expected to be pillars of strength, emotionally destitute, and indifferent when it comes to fostering personal style or caring for roles other than the traditional provider role. Traditional menswear doesn’t allow men to look beautiful while maintaining masculinity. This story aims to introduce African and Contemporary styles that cater to the kind of man that believes in looking and feeling good both on the inside and out. We carefully curated an editorial, showcasing our vision of the contemporary menswear and African traditional menswear blend. Pairing elements from both worlds, this is true to who we are as a Nigerian brand existing in Los Angeles. The goal is to allow men to enjoy the best of both worlds while retaining practicality and maintaining cultural relevance.

“We are inviting men to be beautiful.”

— BEAUTIFUL MASCULINITY, VREDE919

For one look, we paired a leather vest from our upcoming collection with a Nigerian Kaftan. A kaftan is a long gown worn under loose flowing clothing traditionally called "Baban Riga." Worn by both Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups in Nigeria. Kaftan can also be worn on its own but we have dared to pair it with a leather vest giving it a more versatile and contemporary look for a more classic male beauty. This particular style is very true to our brand. It is authentic and seamlessly blends our past culture with our current environment.

Leather vest from upcoming collection paired with Kaftan

“To understand where you are going, you have to pay attention to where you come from.”

— BEAUTIFUL MASCULINITY, VREDE919

The Vrede man is confident enough in his masculinity to acknowledge the beauty in himself and his fellow man. While beauty is predominantly ascribed to and expected of women, we recognize that beauty is universal. Therefore, we fill the gap to make men partakers, contributors, and recipients of this universal beauty.

“We invite you to explore and appreciate the beauty of our brand.”