The head wrap was brilliant blue. It mirrored the applique on the long yellow bodice of the strapless gown and was echoed in the shoes and handbag.
Lupita Nyong'o wore the outfit this past week at the Toronto premiere of her film Queen of Katwe. Fashion critics called it “flawless.”
The designer of the dress is fashion queen Carolina Herrera, born in Venezuela and now living in America. But the head tie is pure Nigerian. That got Nigerians buzzing. And they weren’t necessarily buzzing in admiration.
Before we get to that matter, let’s consider the history of the Nigerian head tie.
In Nigeria a head tie is called a gele — that’s the word used by the Yoruba, one of the country’s many ethnic groups. But the wearing of head wraps is traditional for all Nigerians and indeed for most African cultures. An artfully folded gele is part of everyday wear and de rigueur for special occasions like weddings.
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