BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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In a landscape where fashion is often rigid, predictable, and saturated with repetition, Wandé Esan is betting on something different, something fun. This August, the Lagos-based womenswear label is set to host an event unlike anything Nigeria’s fashion scene has witnessed before: Tank Flip ‘25. A creative and strategic exchange that invites attendees to trade in an old tank top, or any tank, for a limited edition Wandé Esan piece.
As disruptive as the concept is, it is refreshingly simple: bring one tank, get one tank. An event filled with people, community, and clothing with purpose. But beyond the playful flip is a deeper intention: “What’s a cool way to inspire people to let go of old things?” founder Yewande Esan asks. The question became the seed for what she now describes as a “guerrilla marketing-style,” an aggressive way of pushing the brand with equal parts fashion drop, community building, and cultural moment. What she described as “fun, unique, exciting, and unpredictable.”
The event’s creative core reflects the ethos of the brand itself. Wandé Esan, founded in 2021 and fully operational by 2023, was born out of a desire to create womenswear that wasn’t simply adapted from male silhouettes. “Streetwear has always been tailored to men,” Esan notes, pointing out that women in the scene often have to compromise, styling themselves into oversized tees and boxy cuts never made with them in mind. Her brand pushes against that, not just in fit but in focus: clothes made by women, for women, and with women’s bodies and lifestyles in mind.
Still, Esan is quick to clarify that Wandé Esan isn’t simply a streetwear brand. While graphic tees and bold prints helped introduce it to the world, it’s evolving into something more expansive. The label recently introduced its “Igbadun” dress, a piece that’s locally hand-dyed, breezy, and functional, a key aspect of its shift toward becoming a full fashion house. “It’s not only about aesthetics but functionality,” she says. “I study women a lot. I consume an unhealthy amount of fashion content (to stay rooted) in what I want to create.”
Functionality is also at the heart of Tank Flip ‘25. Beyond the one-for-one swap, the collected old tanks will feed into the Wandé Esan Fashion Heist, an event that is held in December, aimed at reaching a diverse range of people. “It’s a full circle moment,” Esan says. For her, the event seeks to redistribute care, rather than simply distributing clothes. “It’s going to serve someone else and impact the immediate community.”
This sense of purpose is layered with intention. Esan’s vision is experience-driven: she wants guests to walk away with more than just a new top. “I want people to feel like they’re part of something great and positive,” she says. “It’s not just an event. It’s about community, sustainability, and love.”
But let’s not mistake intention for over-seriousness. If there’s one thing Wandé Esan is determined to protect, it’s fun. In a fashion climate that often trades joy for prestige, Esan is making a case for playfulness. Her designs are bright, energetic, and deeply rooted in Lagos’ expressive culture, from graphic-heavy pieces to mascots like the Eko Sisters, a fictional afro-rock band that channels the city’s chaotic rhythm and electric femininity.
At its core, Wandé Esan Tank Flip ‘25 is an invitation to participate, to give, to belong. And maybe, in the process, to reimagine what fashion in Nigeria can look like when it’s led by women who are creating on their own terms.
The Wandé Esan Tank Flip ‘25 holds on August 23rd at 1PM in Lekki, Lagos. Tanks will be exchanged for pieces from the brand’s new limited-edition collection.
