Patience Torlowei
Patience Torlowei (born 24 July 1964) is a Nigerian fashion designer. She is the creator of the "Esther Dress", the first piece of couture ever to join the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art's permanent collection.
Patience Torlowei | |
|---|---|
 Patience Torlowei in 2019 | |
| Born | Patience Etipou Torlowei 24 July 1964 Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Known for | Textile Artist, Fashion Designer |
| Website | patiencetorlowei |
Early life
Born in Enugu to Ijaw parents, Torlowei graduated from the Textile Arts and Technology faculty at the Yaba College of Technology. She moved to Belgium in 1989. As a fashion designer she has worked to create bridal clothes and lingerie as well as ready-to-wear attire.[1] She founded her fashion line, Patience Please, in 2006.[2]
Career
A dress designed by Torlowei, Esther, is currently owned by the National Museum of African Art (NMAA) in Washington, D.C.; it is the first piece of haute couture to enter the museum collection. It depicts scenes of oil and diamond extraction and of war, and is made of a variety of materials including gold fabric.[3][2] The piece had been previously featured in a fashion show at the museum in 2014.[4] Torlowei was included in the 2019 show "I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa" at the NMAA.[3]
References
- "Patience returns". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved Jul 9, 2019.
- Africa, Forbes Woman (Oct 1, 2014). "History On A hanger". Retrieved Jul 9, 2019.
- "I Am . . . Contemporary Women Artists of Africa". africa.si.edu. Retrieved Jul 9, 2019.
- "National Museum of African Art showcases Eco-Friendly African Design". Mar 7, 2014. Retrieved Jul 9, 2019.
External links
- The dress comes out of pain: Patience Torlowei creates fashion from the highs and lows of modern Africa Washington Post, August 22, 2019 (with photos of the "Esther Dress")