UGO MONYE
“We’re All Royalty by Nature”
With his bold reinterpretations of African tradition and a design language rooted in cultural pride, Nigerian designer Ugo Monye has become one of the most compelling voices in contemporary menswear. From viral agbadas to visionary collections like Ipa Aswayin, his work celebrates heritage while speaking the language of global fashion. Monye is not just designing clothes: he’s shaping a movement. In this conversation with CITY, he shares his creative philosophy, his Lagos inspirations, and why fashion is, for him, a calling rather than a career.
What inspired you to fuse African tradition with modern menswear?
In 2017, I had this realization: Africa is the next biggest thing in fashion. In the West, we’ve seen a lot, maybe everything. But Africa, thanks to music, is just now getting the attention it deserves. There’s a light shining on the continent. And naturally, after music, the next wave is fashion, entertainment, food. It’s all coming. I always say there’s a tsunami about to happen in African fashion, and we just need to be authentic to catch it.
In 2017, I had this realization: Africa is the next biggest thing in fashion. In the West, we’ve seen a lot, maybe everything. But Africa, thanks to music, is just now getting the attention it deserves. There’s a light shining on the continent. And naturally, after music, the next wave is fashion, entertainment, food. It’s all coming. I always say there’s a tsunami about to happen in African fashion, and we just need to be authentic to catch it.
You often speak about authenticity. What does that mean to you as a designer?
For me, authenticity means using what we have and telling our own story. Imagine taking a classic Western suit, but making it with akwete, a handwoven indigenous fabric. It’s the same silhouette, but the energy is different. That’s how you stand out. I decided early on to focus on African royalty: to remind the world that we are all royalty by nature.
For me, authenticity means using what we have and telling our own story. Imagine taking a classic Western suit, but making it with akwete, a handwoven indigenous fabric. It’s the same silhouette, but the energy is different. That’s how you stand out. I decided early on to focus on African royalty: to remind the world that we are all royalty by nature.
Your reimagined Agbada, the ‘Riyal Agbada’, went viral. How did that piece come to be?
I used to make agbadas but never wore them. They felt too heavy, too much. Once, I told a client, someone quite prominent, that I wanted to make him one. He refused. “It’s too much,” he said. That moment stuck with me. I knew others must feel the same way. So I redesigned it: structured sleeves, simplified form, easy to wear, but still regal. It changed everything. A celebrity wore it to a wedding, and the piece just exploded. For weeks, everyone was talking. People were calling me the “tailor who went to Harvard”.It was wild.
I used to make agbadas but never wore them. They felt too heavy, too much. Once, I told a client, someone quite prominent, that I wanted to make him one. He refused. “It’s too much,” he said. That moment stuck with me. I knew others must feel the same way. So I redesigned it: structured sleeves, simplified form, easy to wear, but still regal. It changed everything. A celebrity wore it to a wedding, and the piece just exploded. For weeks, everyone was talking. People were calling me the “tailor who went to Harvard”.It was wild.
Did that attention change your life?
My life? Not really. It changed the business, yes, but I’m still a private person. A lot of people know the brand, not the face. And I’m okay with that. I’ve always just been focused on doing the work.
My life? Not really. It changed the business, yes, but I’m still a private person. A lot of people know the brand, not the face. And I’m okay with that. I’ve always just been focused on doing the work.
What are the biggest challenges of being a designer in Nigeria today?
Oh, where do I start? If our fashion ecosystem had more structure (factories, reliable production systems) I could focus more on just designing. But here, you have to do everything: production, quality control, marketing, even managing tailors. It’s a gift and a curse. You learn everything, but it limits your growth.
Oh, where do I start? If our fashion ecosystem had more structure (factories, reliable production systems) I could focus more on just designing. But here, you have to do everything: production, quality control, marketing, even managing tailors. It’s a gift and a curse. You learn everything, but it limits your growth.
Have any designers influenced your style?
Honestly? No. What I’m doing, no one has really done before. I’m pushing this African royalty narrative in a new way. I want the world to see our heritage and embrace it. It’s fresh. And people are responding.
Honestly? No. What I’m doing, no one has really done before. I’m pushing this African royalty narrative in a new way. I want the world to see our heritage and embrace it. It’s fresh. And people are responding.
Your collections seem to carry a lot of cultural references. Is that intentional?
Very. Every time I travel across Africa, I collect elements: adire, akwete, raffia, cowries. My vision is to unite Africa through clothing. I want to tell stories from across the continent and, ultimately, bridge Africa with the West. That’s the mission.
Very. Every time I travel across Africa, I collect elements: adire, akwete, raffia, cowries. My vision is to unite Africa through clothing. I want to tell stories from across the continent and, ultimately, bridge Africa with the West. That’s the mission.
You’ve said Lagos inspires you. How so?
Lagos is chaos and creativity combined. Once, I went abroad to a resort, thinking I’d find inspiration. Nothing came. But as soon as I returned to Lagos, ideas started pouring in. At the airport, I was already sketching. I went to Yaba market, and it was like something cracked open. My phones must have styluses: I’m always sketching, even while eating. Lagos keeps me awake creatively.
Lagos is chaos and creativity combined. Once, I went abroad to a resort, thinking I’d find inspiration. Nothing came. But as soon as I returned to Lagos, ideas started pouring in. At the airport, I was already sketching. I went to Yaba market, and it was like something cracked open. My phones must have styluses: I’m always sketching, even while eating. Lagos keeps me awake creatively.
If you could dress anyone, past or present, who would it be?
Denzel Washington. Not because he’s the most fashionable man, but there’s something about his presence, his calm power. I’d love to dress him.
Denzel Washington. Not because he’s the most fashionable man, but there’s something about his presence, his calm power. I’d love to dress him.
What would a piece inspired by Lagos look like?
It would be a fusion of yellow and black, the colors of the danfo buses. It would feature adire, akwete, raffia, cowries… all the materials that speak of Lagos’ vibrant, gritty beauty. Something structured yet wild. Something royal.
It would be a fusion of yellow and black, the colors of the danfo buses. It would feature adire, akwete, raffia, cowries… all the materials that speak of Lagos’ vibrant, gritty beauty. Something structured yet wild. Something royal.
Where do you go to recharge in Lagos?
I just discovered a place called Ikaré. You take a 35-minute boat ride to get there. It’s peaceful, with beach houses and silence. I have insomnia, but there, I sleep. It’s magic. For food, I love Brisk in Ikoyi: it’s quick, the service is sharp. Or Slow, if I’m not in a rush. Yellow Chilli is great too for a more traditional Nigerian vibe.
I just discovered a place called Ikaré. You take a 35-minute boat ride to get there. It’s peaceful, with beach houses and silence. I have insomnia, but there, I sleep. It’s magic. For food, I love Brisk in Ikoyi: it’s quick, the service is sharp. Or Slow, if I’m not in a rush. Yellow Chilli is great too for a more traditional Nigerian vibe.
What’s next for your brand?
Lagos Fashion Week in October. We’re doing something special this year—not just a runway, but also a fashion museum. Three days of installations, storytelling, history behind every piece. We’ve done the evangelizing. Now we’re doing the business. It’s time to take this crazy dream to the world.
Lagos Fashion Week in October. We’re doing something special this year—not just a runway, but also a fashion museum. Three days of installations, storytelling, history behind every piece. We’ve done the evangelizing. Now we’re doing the business. It’s time to take this crazy dream to the world.
Photos by Morgan Otagburuagu
Originally published in CITY MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL #1