Women
The Branded Woman: Any Relevance?
A brand is a particular product, label, or a trademark. A form of identification that differentiates a product from others. A brand has something that distinguishes it, such that the difference is clearly perceptible, understandable and unmistakable; that gives it a distinct quality and recognition.
From a packaged goods approach, real manufacturer’s outlook is that of offering a product (brand) and radically improving it in order to remain relevant in the market place. Marketing companies usually have a particular market positioning; for example, Coca-cola is the “clear leader” in soft drinks production and sales, compared to other competitors. And whenever a new brand is added there is a repositioning, offering new choices, opening a sales window to the companies biggest profit windows. Targeting to sell in more and more stores.
The emphasis is on making more products, more easily, more consistent and more profitable Eddie Binders, (Brand Builders).
However in another sense, branding can be derogatory. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it can also mean to ‘stigmatise’ such as when a person is branded a liar, a prostitute etc. It can be a short classifying phrase and a name applied to a person. Sort of name calling. This is where the typical traditional Nigerian woman has been placed in society. She has been branded a ‘baby making machine’, a ‘domestic servant,’ a ‘prostitute’, a ‘husband murderer’, a ‘fetish woman’, a ‘witch’, a ‘bitch’. All of these and more are the brand names of a woman in the Nigerian society. These names sum up the burden women face.
Recognising this, the Civil Liberties Organisation, an NGO in Nigeria has said, “The discriminatory burdens placed on women include those of chastity, of making marriage work at all cost, of fertility and fertility control, and the ‘good’ children and to mourn the husbands to the state and dictate of his relatives. Compared to men, the Nigerian society treats the woman as a little better than beasts of burden ..”
The Nigerian woman has been stigmatised and discriminated against for ages. She has been denied the fundamental human rights of equality to man, denied access to economic power, land and capital; denied access to education, denied access to credit, denied access to political participation, access to make contribution to governance and deprived of her intrinsic worth as a woman. Indeed, she has been subjected to all forms of obnoxious practices.
The UNDP’s Human Development Report (HDR) states that, “70 per cent of the world’s 1.3 million people living in poverty are women. Illiterate women outnumber men by two to one, and 60 per cent of 130 million children not receiving primary education are girls. Women work longer hours than men but roughly two-thirds of their work is unpaid (compared to one-third of men’s working time). “Women’s under or unpaid labour”, claims United Nations Development Programme, “represents some USS 11 trillion each year”.
“Women generally lack access to credit. They are also under-represented in public life, since men hold 90 per cent of cabinet positions”, -Oxfam.
The above reveals the subservience of womanhood the world over. But the woman is a rare breed, rare specie, a brand and, an improved brand for that matter. Women have so much potentials, a basic understanding of these innate abilities and potentials places them on the pedestal where women should be, away from the prejudices, biases, roles, and unrealistic expectations of the world.
Women, carry the burden of the noble responsibility of motherhood homemakers, as builders, as entrepreneurs. The woman is overloaded. Women should discover and make full use of their God-given potentials. That is what God wants them to be.
The UN is calling for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, in the last decade the attention has been on how to stamp out Violence Against Women (VAW), some authors and researchers and women activists are looking at what women can do and advocating that women be given their rights and chance. Yet others are drawing attention to the purpose, power and influence of women.
I must say at this point that there are efforts by the Nigerian government of today and society, and the world at large, to make life better for women, making provision for them to participate and contribute their own quota to growth and development. But they can do more. Governments, men and all who understand the potentials of women can do more to promote their development initiatives and alleviate their sufferings.
Most importantly, women can do better for themselves by looking inwards into their innate potentials and seeking for ways to add value and dignity to womanhood and society. This is a human-centred approach to solving the prevalent problem of violence against women. Women should strive for strategic positioning for total relevance. This calls for deep introspection, articulation and clear identification of the inherent potentials, which when harnessed carve a niche, and place them in the collective scheme of things. By carving this niche, the woman becomes a brand of her unique self, indispensable and relevant. She knows where she stands, who she is and what she can do to impact herself, womanhood and the society in general. At this point, she is making a difference and contributing to growth and development globally.
Her value as a woman can be branded. This brand sells, attracts patronage and constantly being improved, she becomes needed, indispensable and profitable. Then, she can hardly be relegated to the background. This is the branded woman that is relevant in society.
Gloria Ken-Idehen
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
