by Chinazam Ikechi-Uko.
A week ago the highly anticipated Nigerian series All Of Us debuted on the small screen. PhD student, influencer, and filmmaker, Enioluwa Adeoluwa executively produced the young adult series. The show follows a group of high students at City View College whose lives take an unexpected turn after a murder.
The four-part series teases viewers with clues until the killer is eventually revealed. The internet might be divided in terms of reviews; however, an aspect of the show that undoubtedly nailed its assignment was the costume department.
The history of costume design in the film industry began in the golden age of Hollywood (1920s-1940s). Studios like MGM, Paramount, and Warner Bros. employed dedicated costume departments that created extravagant designs. Historians often talk about how media has shaped our perceptions with examples like cats do not drink milk, as most cats are lactose intolerant. However, several perceptions have been shaped by costume designs.
“A majority of the clothing choices on television series such as Vikings or The Last Kingdom are extremely inaccurate and downright offensive to their historical knowledge of what real Viking clothing looked like.” The Sons Of Vikings, a website that sells Viking jewellery and Celtic / Irish-related merchandise, expressed on its blog that the stereotypical Viking horned helmet has no historical backing, and neither does the depiction of them wearing leather on the battlefield.
Since the golden age of Hollywood, costume design has become a pivotal part of filmmaking. It assists the visual language of a film and enhances the narrative. They shape a character’s identity, as costumes reveal a character’s personality, social status, and emotional state.
The costume design of All Of Us was as integral to the story as the whodunnit reveal. The students of City View College are members of the upper echelon in Lagos’ Society, and the costumes nailed at expressing that. A crime was committed, a body was buried, and poisons were used, yet the costumes never broke character, or did they?
“This is very, very bad,” In the trailer, influencer Priscilla Ojo, who plays Ivy, says while wearing a custom 7th Leo dress. With 7th Leo’s ready-to-wear and couture lines bearing price tags such as $100 and $200, Ivy matches the profile of a student at a prestigious Nigerian school.
MEET THE STYLIST.
The 25-year-old Emmanuel Goodnews is excited about the project of his career. “It is something I did with so much joy. I love to learn, and I have had the opportunity to do that. I got to work on rich spoiled kids; they always explore with their style.” He began to work as a stylist shortly after the pandemic, and a few of his looks went viral on the internet, including Priscilla Ojo’s Queen Charlotte premiere look.
“I knew I wanted to work in fashion for a very long time, but that lockdown season made me think. It made everyone think there was not much to do. So I decided that I would become a stylist once it was over, and I am grateful that Eni entrusted me with this.”
In a conversation with Emmanuel Goodnews, he discusses how much research he put into it and where viewers can shop the look. “This is my first gig styling on a production set and I was happy to be there. I wanted to learn so much, so I did some studying. I knew the actors had to look young, so I looked into that. The City View College kids are rich and spoilt, so they have the means to explore with their style and individuality.”
WHO WORE WHAT?
A personal favourite is Layla’s (Tomi Ojo) little yellow dress in the party scene. “Yes, that reflects her personality, she is fun and puts herself out there. The dress is from Statement by Bami.”
“Statement by Bami is a brand that feels perfect for the youthful ambience. It is colourful, in style, and bespoke. The dress that Shalewa (John Merry) wore to the party is also from the Statement by Bami catalogue.”
Goodnews communicates the socioeconomic status of the students using custom, archival or bespoke pieces. The rich love their exclusivity, so their clothes represent that, especially in a country where tailoring is opted for over ready-to-wear for special occasions. This is reflected on the character Victory (Ifeoluwa Ogunjebe), who wears a 7th Leo piece unavailable on its site, a party piece just for her. Au contraire, Chinasa (Angel Unigwe)– a student with a working-class background– dons an unbranded ready-to-wear dress.
In the show, we learn more about a number of the cast. An extra layer of depth is given to the characters, Issac (Eni Adeoluwa), Layla (Tomi Ojo), Elijah (Eronini Osinachi), Ahmad (Tobe Ugeh), and Dianne (Jemima Osunde).
In the third episode, Layla in a melancholy state explained to her friends that she did not want them to judge her and Dianne shot back that they would have been right to judge her because her decision was flawed. Dianne is focused, smart, blunt, and feminine. She has seen crime movies, knows exactly what to do and does not like when a friend threatens her spot at the top.
For Dianne, Goodnews explores the emotions of a teenage girl who is aware she is intimidating but tries to soften her presence and remind everyone that she is just a girl. “Dianne is a pink girl, she always wants to remind people that she is a pink girl. So she wears a pink or black hairband in every scene, and at the party, she pulls up in a pink custom Veekee James. She is competitive; for her, it is go big or go home.”
Dresses by Veekee James.
“Dianne is in one of my favourite scenes. The scene where Shalewa says, we are in the worst week of our lives and all you can think about is head girl.” The psyche of an ambitious teenage girl was a new territory for Goodnews, who fell in love with the male characters. “I like Dianne but my favourite students are Issac and Elijah. I love them and I wanted to convey Issac’s by-the-book personality through his uniform; he is the only one who buttons to the top and does not slack his tie. He is uptight.”
The uniforms add an elevated level of achievement for Goodnews who got to play designer with them. “The uniforms were made by Orange Culture and I designed them.”
It is always charming when renowned fashion designers work in a film production setting. Paco Rabanne making the clothes for Barbarella (1968) and Jean-Paul Gaultier for The Fifth Element (1997) are the first that come to mind. For the City View College kids, wearing a school uniform made by an LVMH finalist brand reinforces their financial superiority.
Elijah (Eronini Osinachi) is a boisterous athlete who has no CTE from the sport he plays but his brains match that of one who plays American football. He spends a few scenes on the field wearing BLBRAND sportswear.
The boys of City View College were not as fashionable as the girls, nevertheless, the one-eyed king in fashion blindness was Ahmad (Tobe Ugeh). Ahmad is a rich boy with a heart of gold; he is confident and calculated. This shows in his style choices, he pairs a maroon scarf with his uniform and for the party, he goes for an Ola Reay hand-beaded piece.
“I wanted everyone to have a specific look that speaks for them and that people can relate with,” Goodnews speaks highly of his experience and when asked about the next season, he said, “We are going into production sometime, could be next year, could start this. This first part was shot in the last six months so maybe we will start same time next year.”
All Of Us’ costume design paid attention to Nigerian nuances. Several high society schools in Lagos permit braided hair extensions as long as it is a shade of black or deep brown.
But there might have been a blunder, a missed mark— the uniform sleeves and pockets; a tell-tale sign of luxurious craftsmanship is the prints are cut to match.
The continuous mismatch of the plaid is enough to earn a thread on Derek Guy’s X account. However, this could be intentional and if it were, that would make it the most nuanced factor of all.
