The Details That Matter: Unveiling the Craft, Culture & Fabric Soul of “Life is Fun” Collection

In every thread, a whisper, In every weave, a history.

At Domina by Michelle, our work begins long before the first stitch. It begins at the loom, in the hands of artisans, in the rhythm of heritage, and in the stories spun into every fibre. Our Life is Fun collection may exude joy, colour, and movement, but beneath its playful silhouette lies the quiet depth of centuries-old craft.

Welcome to The Details, a behind-the-scenes celebration of the textiles, techniques, and traditions that gave this collection its soul.

Let us take you on a journey through cloth, culture, and craftsmanship.

AKWETE: The Feminine Fabric of the East

Origin: Akwete, Abia State, Nigeria
Technique: Vertical loom weaving, exclusively by women
Material: Cotton with decorative weft inserts
Used In: Play jumsuit, Radiant dress, Nation jacket, Jubilee pants, Sunnie dress

Akwete is a  matriarchal language. Woven by the women of Akwete town in Abia State Nigeria, this cloth is one of the few in West Africa with a long-standing tradition of female weavers. It is tactile, vibrant, and symbolic.

The weaving is done on vertical looms, often in family courtyards, where the rhythm of shuttle and beat echoes stories passed from mother to daughter. The weft designs carry meanings, spirals for continuity, rivers for abundance, zigzags for resilience.

For the Play jumpsuit, we chose a soft Akwete with blue & yellow toned motifs, allowing the fabric’s artistry to shine in a free-flowing silhouette. It’s a piece that feels like an embrace, both elegant and grounded.

The Nation Jacket, on the other hand, pairs this traditional weave with a soft, structured edge, merging old-world craftsmanship with modern strength.

ASỌ-ÒKÉ: The Loom of Legacy

Origin: Yoruba communities, mainly Oyo and Ogun
Technique: Narrow-strip loom weaving with shuttle insertion
Material: Cotton and lurex threads
Used In: Rorie Dress, Faey set, Chizzy kaftan, Red Umi bustier, Fraye jacket

 

 

Translated literally, “Asọ-Òké” means “top cloth”, and for good reason. This prestigious textile, woven predominantly by Yoruba men on narrow horizontal looms, has been a staple of ceremonies and high occasions within & outside of Nigeria for centuries .

The weaving is intricate: the artisan uses a foot pedal to control the heddles and a shuttle to pass the weft yarn through a warp just a few inches wide. Strips are later joined by hand into wider cloths. Threads are often hand-dyed, and in some versions, metallic lurex is introduced to reflect light and status.

In the Chizzy kaftan, we reimagine this regal fabric in a loose fit, pairing it with tafetta and pleated organza for a layered sensory experience. The weight of Asọ-Òké gives the kaftan  character, its woven texture gives it storytelling.

In the Red Umi buster, small pieces of leftover Asọ-Òké are patched alongside other  fabrics, an ode to zero-waste design and the beauty of blending traditions.

OKENE CLOTH: Rhythm and Colour on the Strip Loom

Origin: Ebira communities, Kogi State Nigeria
Technique: Strip weaving with treadle looms and manual colourwork
Material: Cotton, rayon blends
Used In: Blue Umi Bustier, Reta dress, Narion jacket, Thrill skirt

Okene cloth is brazen & Unapologetically rhythmic. Woven in vibrant horizontal stripes by the Ebira people, this cloth requires both mathematical precision and intuitive artistry.

Unlike broader looms, the Ebira strip loom produces cloths no wider than a foot. The weaver controls not just tension but colour transitions, often with no written pattern, only memory and muscle.

For the Blue Umi Bustier, we selected Okene stripes that mirror the strength, creating a piece that feels alive. It hugs the body with purpose, pride, and power.

Paired with the Thrill skirt, which feature  Okene inserts, the set becomes a statement of joy. Of freedom. Of movement and memory stitched together.

PATCHWORK: A Symphony of Stories

Technique: Collage of off-cuts hand-aligned and sewn
Fabrics Used:, cotton, linen, poly blend
Used In: Merri Dress, Sunnie Dress, Radiant dress, Thrill skirt

Patchwork, for us, is both philosophy and practice. It honours the African principle of resourcefulness, the idea that nothing is ever wasted, only transformed.

We gather remnants from production, Akwete panels, Asọ-Òké strips, bits of lace and cotton, and we compose them like music. Each patch is chosen not just for visual contrast, but for textural harmony.

In the Merri Dress, the skirt’s patchwork mimics the rhythm of a drumbeat, loud, quiet, soft, proud. The cotton poly blend in the back gives it a contemporary feel, while the cotton and poly blend  panels in front root it in elegance.

The Sunnie Dress, meanwhile, uses a patchwork of Akwete & cotton around the hem, that’s playful yet intentional. It’s a visual map of cultures that coexist beautifully.

TWEED & DRY LACE: Contemporary Meets Cultural

Technique: Machine-woven and embellished lace; modern tweed blending
Used In: Rorie Dress, Faey set

 

While our collection is grounded in traditional Nigerian textiles, we believe that culture should be in conversation. So we pair woven Asọ-Òké with tactile tweed, a nod to British tailoring, and  dry lace, a staple in African celebration wear.

In the Rorie Dress, these fabrics meet like old friends, each bringing its own texture and tone. The tweed softens the Asọ-Òké’s boldness. The lace adds whimsy. The entire piece feels like a love song to hybrid identities.

WHY THESE FABRICS MATTER

When we talk about Life is Fun, we’re not just referring to colour or silhouette. We’re referring to the deep, rich joy that comes from wearing a piece with meaning. Each fabric we choose carries its own soul, it’s own backstory of community, tradition, innovation, and purpose.

Wearing Domina by Michelle is not about trends, but  about values.

It’s about knowing that:

• Your Chizzy Kaftan has elements that was woven by a woman who learned from her grandmother.
• Your Umi Bustier was made with cloth that took a full day to weave, one stripe at a time.
• Your Nation jacket carries four different heritages in one single, joyous silhouette.

This is what makes fashion powerful, not the cut, not even the colour.
But the connection to culture, to craft, & to care.

 

At Domina by Michelle, every collection is a conversation. And “Life is Fun” is our most joyful one yet, a collection that dances through heritage, plays with tradition, and celebrates the vibrancy of being seen.

The fabrics? They’re not just beautiful.
They’re alive.

And when you wear them, you not only wear a dress,
You wear a history, you wear a homeland, you wear meaning.

So here’s to the loom, the weaver, the fabric, and the woman who wears it.
Here’s to The Details, where the true beauty begins.