Hands of Leather
The historic leather hub, Kano, feeds luxury giants like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Ralph Lauren, with Nigeria exporting nearly 90% of its hides abroad. But because the finishing work is done in Europe, the “Made in Nigeria” label vanishes, replaced by “Made in Italy” or “Made in Spain.” Now, some Nigerian designers are trying to reclaim the country’s leather identity by building homegrown brands.
