BUDDING: Fashion & Streetwear Edition

Streetwear has never just been about clothes. It’s about identity, rebellion, survival, and pride. In Nigeria, it’s even more than that; it’s language, culture, and community stitched into fabric. From various parts of Nigeria, infusing our culture, colors, adire, aso oke, and the likes into fashion, young designers are reshaping how we wear our stories.

This edition of BUDDING steps into that world, spotlighting five streetwear brands rewriting what it means to design for the culture. They aren’t just making pieces, they’re building movements, blending grit with vision, and proving that in fashion, expression is the loudest statement of all.

Let’s meet them.

Bola PSD: Raw, Loud, and Unapologetic

Bola PSD is carving out something heavier, louder, and unapologetically distinct. Founded in 2023 by Adebola Olaniyan, the streetwear brand fuses industrial edge with an evolving art practice. Think sharp silhouettes, statement tees, bold beanies, and pieces that carry a sense of attitude without saying a word.

For Adebola, design has never been about boxing himself into one style. 

“My art style really just evolves around me as a person, what I’m into at the time, what I’m learning, how I’m growing.” he says. 

That evolution is the core of Bola PSD. Right now, his style may be leaning towards grunge, a raw aesthetic, and by next drop, it might be something else entirely. That unpredictability is what makes the brand feel alive.

It all began with Virgil Abloh, the inspiration that pushed him to create. But over time, Adebola’s influences have widened; fed by new styles he discovers, music, people’s energy, and even random impulses that strike without warning. For him, inspiration is everywhere, and that openness is what keeps Bola PSD dynamic.

In just over two years, Bola PSD has become one of those rare codes,  regularly showing up on platforms like Street Souk and carried by those who want something that feels scarce, raw, and real. 

Severe Nature: A Movement Woven in Fabric

At the core of Severe Nature is a belief in taking individuality, talent, and vision to the extreme. In a world where societal norms often discourage self-expression, the brand exists to break those barriers. Severe Nature inspires people to embrace their unique traits and pursue their dreams unapologetically. 

“Severe Nature is not just fashion, it’s a movement, empowering individuals to express their nature, talent, and identity fearlessly and to achieve greatness by pushing beyond the ordinary.”

The brand’s early visual identity has its own story: the very first Severe Nature logo actually featured two foxes and an “X,” and the brand’s first mascot was a bear. Those initial experiments hint at how the label has always been willing to try things that feel unexpected.

For Severe Nature, one of their standout moments is seeing their pieces worn across multiple communities in different countries around the world. This ranks as one of those moments, a reminder of how far the brand has travelled and how deeply it resonates with people beyond its origin. That global reach, built from bold design and a refusal to play it safe, is exactly the kind of affirmation Severe Nature set out to make when it began.

Glacierboy: Survival With Style

Glacierboy was founded in 2022 with the purpose of merging two worlds together: street culture and fashion. Born in the grind, the brand sees more than fashion; it sees an identity (hustlers). Glacierboy preaches survival with style, building pieces for those who are ten toes down on the grind, skiing through this cold world, and wearing their stories proudly on their sleeve.

There’s a little humor in their story too. Fun fact: at the inception of the brand, they joked about texting Quavo for permission to use the name “Glacierboy.” To their surprise, he replied with approval, and that still fuels their ambition to get him to rock some of their pieces someday.

As a brand, their standout moment came four months after launch. They were approached by Bella Shmurda‘s stylist, Voodoo, for a custom Glacierboy denim jacket for Bella, which he wore for the visuals of Contraband in the UK. For them, it was a really big deal; it still is. 

The Dalti Brand: Blending creativity and inclusivity.

The Dalti Brand has been pushing boundaries since June 2015. Based in Lagos, it’s an androgynous brand committed to redefining contemporary style with bold, innovative streetwear for the modern youth. At heart, Dalti is about blending creativity and inclusivity; fashion that transcends gender lines and celebrates individuality.

Like many great brands, Dalti started small, initially making tote bags and bracelets. Those early experiments laid the groundwork for a bigger vision, one that has grown into full collections. The pieces now embody confidence, daring silhouettes, and a language of streetwear that feels both distinctly Nigerian and globally relevant.

Standout moments are many, but one of the most significant came recently: working with an international, award-winning stylist to curate looks for a movie premiere for a top Nigerian actor. For Dalti, those milestones are not just achievements but proof that boldness and inclusivity have a seat on the biggest stages.

+234 Store: Repping Home Without Compromise

+234 is more than a name. It’s a flag, a reminder, a declaration. Founded by Funto Adeyemo, the brand is inspired by Nigeria itself, paying homage to the culture, energy, and chaos that make home what it is. While +234 is also the country’s dialing code, the brand flips it into a lifestyle: a statement that being Nigerian isn’t just location, it’s identity.

For Funto, inspiration struck in 2020 when listening to Ajebutter and Show Dem Camp, which sparked the idea. He noticed there weren’t enough streetwear brands promoting Nigeria unapologetically. So he built one.

From jerseys to minimalist fits, +234 translates the colors, sounds, and spirit of Lagos into designs that carry pride across borders. It refuses to dilute culture; instead, it amplifies it.

For +234, one of their standout moments came when Michelle Alozie wore their jersey for her Olympics call-up announcement. Moments like that prove the brand isn’t just clothing: it’s cultural shorthand, stitching pride into fabric for Nigerians everywhere.

To Those Still sketching and designing 

Streetwear in Nigeria is still young, still hungry, still building.

It isn’t just about hoodies, jerseys, or drops; it’s about identity, rebellion, survival, and pride. These creators are proving that with every stitch, every silhouette, and every story they put into the world.

The movement is still raw, still taking shape, but it’s here, alive in every jersey, every tee, every piece of fabric that carries identity.

We see the ones taking risks, pushing through failed samples, and dropping pieces that speak louder than words.

Here’s to the ones designing the future, and if you’re reading this, with sketches in your notepad or Photoshop files gathering dust on your PC, maybe it’s time to start.

If you’d like to feature on the next edition of BUDDING, shoot us a pitch here: diycollective@gmail.com

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