There’s been an ongoing conversation about the price of Nigerian fashion. And to be honest, we’re tired. Tired of people asking why a top is ₦95,000. Tired of Instagram commenters typing, “Is it not just Ankara?” Tired of justifying creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural capital to people who’d pay double for a label that sounds foreign. Let’s be clear: Nigerian fashion is allowed to be expensive. Our designers are artists. Our fabrics are sourced with intention. Our garments are sometimes handmade, one stitch at a time. And in a world that’s finally waking up to the value of African fashion, we deserve to price our work like it matters, because it does. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: if we want the world to treat us like luxury, we need to act like luxury.

Luxury isn’t just price. It's a presentation. It's an experience. It’s how the product makes you feel. If a dress is ₦300,000, the fabric can’t deteriorate after a pass through the spin cycle. The zippers can’t get stuck. The finishing can’t unravel after two wears. People don’t buy luxury for just the look, they buy it for the quality, the longevity, and the confidence that it was made to last. Luxury is also in how a brand communicates and the customer service that follows after. It’s placing an order on a Monday and someone checks in by Wednesday. It’s getting tracking info without chasing, it’s thoughtful follow-ups, it’s problem-solving without attitude. It’s knowing my money was respected. You can’t be billing ₦500K and ghosting customers in the DMs. If we want to be considered luxury, we must offer luxury, from how we speak to clients to how we resolve complaints.

When you order from a luxury brand abroad, the unboxing is part of the experience. From the tissue paper to the branded boxes and handwritten notes, every detail feels intentional. It’s not just packaging, it’s storytelling. And while we understand that resources vary, especially for independent and emerging designers, presentation still matters. Because if we're positioning ourselves on the global stage, the experience we offer should reflect that ambition. Customers (whether local or international) are investing not just in a product, but in the brand behind it. We owe it to ourselves, and to the industry we’re building, to match the brilliance of our designs with an equally compelling customer journey, from the first click to the unboxing.