By Chinazam Ikechi-Uko.
“I told him a story about the British royal family, who once had a leather chair made from Moroccan leather. Almost a century later, the royal family commissioned the refurbishing of that chair and wanted to use the same leather used for the original version. When they tried to get the leather from Morocco, it was traced to Kano. This is the same leather from Kano, that is exported to the biggest fashion houses in the world and is now being used to make beautiful bags here at Winston Leather.” Winston Udeagha recounts his discussion with Wole Soyinka.
Beyoncé has been an icon in the fashion industry for decades. But when she posted a picture of herself in a pink leather bag back in August 2021, it caught the attention of none other than Nigerian leather powerhouse brand– Winston Luxury.
It was a bag by Anima Iris, an American company whose founder is of Cameroonian descent. As an African, the founder has no problem expressing the source of her leather. So while this was the first time that Winston Luxury had been credited with sourcing the leather worn by Beyoncé.
It was hardly the first time she had worn a bag sourced by Winston Udeagha. This is because Winston Leather is from a family of Nigerian leathermakers who have been supplying some of the biggest names in fashion for over 30 years. They have just not been credited for it. “My family makes leather for a lot of the biggest fashion houses in the world and it is absolutely true. In 30 years of making the best leather in the world, we have never gotten credit for the work we do. There has never been a brand we supply whoever came out to say, oh, I get my leather from Winston Leather in Nigeria.” Udeagha stated in an X video.
Winston Luxury.
THE WHISTLEBLOWER:
Like most important discussions that take place in the 2020s, it began on TikTok. When a TikTok user named Isa (Sewerbum) hit the post option for a video explaining that good ol’ Italian Leather is actually made in Nigeria. Isa whose TikTok bio states Hausa from Kano has a generational bone to pick with the Europeans who refuse to credit their source.
“The Nigerian Leather Manufacturers Union got tired of not getting credit for their product so they hired my older sister.” While there are no articles online covering the court case, Isa states his sister won the case. “Part of the case was they did not want a middleman man and they were not allowed to say Italian leather anymore, they had to say the source.” He explained further, “But instead of saying Nigerian leather, they switched to genuine leather. That is why you hear genuine leather”
MEET THE FIRST WHISTLEBLOWER:
After the video made its way to X, Nigerian leathermaker, Winston Udeagha quoted the video which added to its credibility. However, this is not the first time, Winston has expressed his disdain for the lack of credit African leathermakers get from European fashion houses.
In a 2021 Vogue article, Adedoyin Adeniji revealed that Winston Leather’s tannery [God’s Little Tannnery] in Kano supplies brands such as Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. “EU laws stipulate that the country of origin of finished goods is the country where the final production process occurs. This has enabled luxury fashion houses that source raw leather from Africa, and even begin the production process there, to tag their products as, for example, Made in Italy.”
He wrote about how Winston Leather saw an economic boost once a fashion historian, Shelby Christie tweeted that Kano is an epicentre for the luxury leather and they supply leather to LVMH and Kering, most notably Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
THE TRUTH ABOUT KANO:
Kano, the heart of Nigeria’s leather industry, also stands as a global leather production hub. Renowned for its age-old craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit and is sought after by luxury fashion brands and consumers worldwide.
Kano has established itself as a global leather powerhouse. The city’s leather industry boasts a rich history, with tanneries that have been in operation for generations. These tanneries are the lifeblood of the local economy, providing employment for thousands and contributing significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.
Maire Claire Nigeria reported that it is a thriving industry valued at over ₦25 billion. “In 2016, the prestigious Louis Vuitton revealed that it sourced leather from parts of Northern Nigeria. This highlights the potential of the country’s leather industry and instils a sense of pride and confidence in the industry’s future.” The article includes.
THE LEATHERMARKERS OF NIGERIA:
While Kano leather has gained international recognition for its quality and durability, leathermaking is a skill as old as time in the country with dozens of tanneries in the nation.
With a vast livestock population, particularly cattle, sheep, and goats, the country has an abundant supply of high-quality hides and skins. This includes the unique Red Sokoto goat skin, celebrated for its distinctive reddish hue and superior quality.
Nigeria’s leather industry is a dynamic sector employing hundreds of thousands of people. With significant exports to countries like Italy, Spain, India, and China, the industry contributes substantially to the Nigerian economy, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Projections indicate an even brighter future with revenue exceeding $1 billion by 2025. The Nigeria Economic Summit Group reports, “Domestically, the industry represents the second major earner of foreign exchange after oil with total export of tanned skins amounting to about $240 million in 2015.”
It also stated, “However, while Nigeria is a net exporter of raw hides and skins including semi-processed leather, it is also a net importer of finished leather products with total imports of about $500 million worth [of] leather products annually.”
This spotlights the need to encourage Nigerians to purchase Made in Nigeria leather. Who is promoting the homegrown leather and where can they be found?
PROMOTING MADE IN NIGERIA LEATHER:
The 7th edition of the annual Lagos Leather Fair was held at the Balmoral Centre on the 29th and 30th of June. This year, the panellists set out with two goals; revolutionising sourcing across the continent and boosting local manufacturing capabilities.
The fair is an initiative by Femi Olayebi of FEMIHANDBAGS, a leathermaking company whose bags a handcrafted in Ibadan. The initiative aims to get Africans excited about African leather and to create a seamless connection between tanneries and designers or buying groups.
Small designers can band together to make bulk purchases from tanneries that require high minimum order quantities. The fair hopes Nigerians opt to shop leather locally, after all, the leather you buy in Europe is most likely homemade too.
The fair consisted of an exhibition, fashion show, workshop and an award ceremony. Several established brands participated in the exhibit, this includes Ohiole Lagos, Aaboux, Winston Luxury, Nichole by Hanguanna, FAMAD, Woyin Taylor, Lareeyn, and O’Eclat.
Literary world royalty, Wole Soyinka was in attendance and one excited leathermaker told him all about the history of Africa supplying Europeans leather. “I had the honour of meeting Prof. Wole Soyinka at our private viewing at the Lagos leather fair. We spoke about Nigerian leather, which has been exported to the west through Morocco for more than 500 years.”
The leathermaker was the whistleblower, Winston Udeagha of Winston Luxury. Three years since the Vogue piece, Winston Luxury has become a global brand, featuring at New York Fashion Week and with a clientele that includes tastemakers such as Shaffy Bello.
