More than a dress — its identity, history, and womanhood in couture form.
For TUBO, fashion has never been just about the clothes; it’s about storytelling, identity, and the unapologetic power of women owning their space. At the heart of her brand lies a mission: to tell African stories through fashion, weaving culture, modernity, and individuality into every design.
Her latest global moment, dressing international superstar Ciara, wasn’t a typical celebrity styling coup. It was a cultural dialogue, a meeting point between African heritage and global couture, yet another opportunity to tell that story to a worldwide audience.
Read also: TUBO’s “Summer Reverie” is an intimate celebration of women and style
Celebrating cultural unity through design
TUBO is a contemporary African fashion brand celebrated for its modern reinterpretation of traditional craftsmanship. Renowned for creating timeless, form-sculpting pieces that honour the female silhouette, the brand has reimagined bridal couture and ready-to-wear for the confident, global woman. The look for Ciara, inspired by the Iria ceremony, an Ijaw rite of passage celebrating a woman’s strength and becoming, was more than fashion. It was Tubo’s ode to home, a visual love letter to the essence of womanhood.
During the Iria ceremony, the maidens typically came out bare-breasted and tattooed in oils, a symbol the designer reimagined through intensive beadwork to recreate the impression of a woman’s form. Every stitch held meaning: the structured bodice echoed resilience, the crystal tones whispered tradition, and the fluid silhouette captured the confidence and sensuality that define the Tubo woman.
Fashion, in its truest form, becomes a bridge where the diversities of our culture find unity and harmony. At first glance, this look bears resemblance to the beaded elegance of Igbo maidens from Eastern Nigeria, revealing how different traditions can mirror one another.
Through design, Tubo reminds us that while our cultural stories are distinct, they often share the same rhythm of grace, identity, and womanhood.
The vision behind the design
On the inspiration behind the design, Tubo’s founder and creative director, Sandrah Tubobereni, shared: “Designing for Ciara was simply Divine Alignment. The Iria ceremony represents womanhood, identity, and pride, values that sit at the heart of TUBO. I wanted the world to see that our stories, when told authentically, carry the same power and elegance as any couture tradition. That our culture can be couture and our heritage haute!”
From bridal couture to international red carpets, TUBO continues to redefine what it means to wear African luxury, a seamless blend of tradition, innovation, and feminine strength.
With TUBO dressing Ciara, we are reminded that when African designers tell their stories through fashion, the world listens and remembers.
