Watch how celebrities showed up for the aso ebi diaries premiere
At the Aso Ebi Diaries premiere show at Lekki on April 18, 2025, culture and couture collided and burst into stunning dimensions. Friends dressed to a T in flawlessly coordinated Aso-Ebi outfits—show-stopping Ankara jumpsuits to head-turning gele-covered gowns—that transformed the red carpet into a real runway. The film’s costume design, appreciated for bringing Nigeria’s vibrant textile culture to the fore, was the real showstopper. This entertaining article delves into the style moments, the amateur theatrics of gele-tying, and how the premiere served as a high-wattage fashion showcase that mixed Nollywood glamour with ancient traditions.
Aso-Ebi Blitz: The Coordinated Crew
There’s “Aso Ebi,” and then there’s Aso Ebi Diaries level coordination. Imagine entire friend groups in matching Ankara jumpsuits—some in electric green wax prints—each silhouette tailored to perfection. The result? A technicolor tidal wave of pattern play that turned Lekki’s Jewel by Lady Laide into a walking textile museum.
Ankara Jumpsuits Steal the Show
Designers like Revamp Atelier and Lohije walked models along the carpet in fluid Ankara jumpsuits that cinched around their middles with puffy bows. The one-piece showstoppers blended comfort with high fashion—because why not salsa like nobody’s watching?
Gele Galore: Towering Triumphs
No Aso-Ebi look is complete without the gele, and on this premiere night, guests wore head wraps like custom sculptures. From neon pink wonders floating against gravity to pastel soft folds that traced each face, the gele game was so strong it would have its own spin-off series.
Costume Design: The Real Star
As the actors sparkled on-screen, costume designer Laide Daramola took center stage during the after-party. Her looks for lead protagonist Elizabeth Gomez had old-money charm with a fashion-forward twist—imagine silk-trimmed Aso-Oke skirts matching leather moto jackets and the men weren’t to be left out as Kunle Remi and Daniel Etim Effiong also dazzled in their agbada just as they did on screen.
Heritage Meets High Fashion
Daramola unearthed Yoruba textile heritage—adire resist-dye, Aso-Oke weaving, and ornate beadwork—to craft pieces that breathed “authenticity” in every seam. One of the highlights was a metallic-threaded Aso-Oke pencil skirt worn with a full tulle peplum, proving that heritage textiles can slay on any catwalk.
When Gele Wars Ensue
Behind the scenes, the gele-tying tent was a battlefield of bobby pins and imprecations. TikTokers documented belly-aching clips of friends helping each other struggle clothes into royal headpieces. One hit fame with a bridesmaid’s gele disintegrating mid-pose before being catapulted back into place by a friend—cut scene, friends hugging victoriously.
Red Carpet Reactions
Celebrities and influencers have gone on social media to rave about the outfits. Nollywood star Nancy Isime wrote on Twitter, “That gown tho! My heart can’t take it ????,” while fashionista Shaffy Bello livestreamed her favorite Aso-Ebi outfits, calling one of them “the superhero of gele creativity”.
Fashion Critics Weigh In
Punch’s fashion editor wrote, “Aso Ebi Diaries did not debut a movie; it debuted a movement. The costumes are the MVPs”—and we couldn’t be more in sync. Speaking of the premiere Kie Kie turned on the style with that gele.
Why It Matters: Heritage on the Global Stage
By framing Aso-Ebi traditions within a blockbuster Nollywood setting, Aso Ebi Diaries stitched Nigeria’s fabric culture into the fabric of film history. The opening night proof-of-concept demonstrated that these centuries-old traditions are not artifacts—they’re living, breathing art capable of dominating a global fashion conversation.
Final Stitch
As the projector’s lights dimmed and the credits rolled, there was one thing certain: Aso Ebi Diaries didn’t just single out a movie’s costume design—it celebrated the spirit of Nigerian fashion. From the acrobatics of Ankara to gele magnificence, the premiere was a celebratory reminder that where culture and couture are concerned, the result is raw, unadulterated magic.
