ClassyKinging’s on a Quest to Redefining African Fashion
Over a slightly glitchy Zoom call, with occasional lags that did nothing to dull our energies, ClassyKinging shared the journey that has transformed his brand, OB70, into one of Nigeria’s leading streetwear names. Though we couldn’t see each other, his voice carried a mix of passion, determination, and a deep connection to his craft.
After speaking for about ten minutes about the stress and glory of finally moving and opening a new flagship store in Lekki, Lagos—and how much he loved finally talking with Notesphere—Classy was able to settle in for our talk.
“I started making clothes out of wanting to look good and dress well, basically,” he began, his words deliberate. “And I mean, I didn’t come from like, a super rich family or something, but they provided me with, like, really nice stuff, you know. I remember wearing nice sneakers to school sometimes. You know, I’m the last born, and I have siblings who would always give me stuff or buy stuff for me. So all these things, like, played a role in having a good taste in fashion, you know.”
It’s this authenticity that has guided classy through the highs and lows of his journey. Starting out in 2017 as a side project while juggling music, “I was trying to push the music, but I always had in mind like, oh, I’m gonna own a clothing brand at some point. Like, it has always been part of the plan. So I just wanted to get stable. After uni, I knew that I didn’t want to go back,” he recalls.
The pivotal moment came during a recording camp when he decided to commit fully to his clothing line just shortly after touring with Peruzzi.
“OB70. So that was where I coined the name. With my partner at the time, we also discovered that, oh, we could go to this local market, Katangowa, right, and get vintage shirts and denim pants to upscale and sell. So that was how I kickstarted the brand.”
His gamble paid off, though not without challenges. He recounts the exhausting nights spent balancing club tours and music recordings with sourcing materials and crafting designs—often alone.
After many excruciating stories about having to live with his sister, who was a tailor, borrowing her equipment, being a production and manufacturing liaison for merchandise, staying up all night just to get jobs done and not miss deadlines, he recalls the tough years that taught him discipline and the value of staying consistent, even when things felt overwhelming.
By 2021, his brand hit a turning point. A collaboration with his now-trusted head designer gave the line a sharper identity.
“And I just looked at myself like, I don’t want to continue like this. You know, I was just being truthful to myself,” he said. “What if I actually just stay locked in for the next one year and see how it goes? That was how I found my now head designer. I commissioned the job to him. He gave the brand a whole different look, and that was when I knew, okay, I found my guy. So I started working with him full-time. Till today, he does most of our designs. When I go broke, this brand feeds me, literally clothes me, and puts food on my table.”
The brand underwent a full rebranding, creating a new identity that marked the beginning of a new era for OB70.
Three years later, OB70 continues to aim for new heights. “2024 has been our biggest year yet, but honestly, it still feels like we’re just getting started,” he shared. “Every day, I approach this with the hunger of someone still trying to make it. 2024 is our biggest year as a business, as a brand, and it still feels like we’ve not done anything. There’s still so much to do.”
For Classy, authenticity is what’s most important; it’s a directive for creatives everywhere. “People need to stop copying and pasting what others are doing,” he said, his tone shifting slightly to reflect a mix of frustration and amusement. “It’s fine to draw inspiration, but you need to put your own spin on it. I see brands trying to replicate what we’ve built, and it just doesn’t work because it’s not authentic to them.”
The conversation naturally turned to the Nigerian fashion industry’s perceived saturation. “Is it oversaturated? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room,” he said emphatically. “Everyone deserves to dream. The question is, how do you stand out?”
As our conversation drew to a close, he reflected on his philosophy: resilience and the relentless pursuit of growth.
“All gas, no brakes. It’s up to you how you want to attack the market, how you want to take your own share, because they won’t give it to you. So how do you do that? People have different ways. There are people who, you know, are in bed with celebrities—not literally, but you know what I mean figuratively. They roll with them. There are people who are big on TikTok. There’s enough channel for everyone to sell their market. So it’s up to you. Some people are big on Twitter. Others have a larger customer base abroad, shipping week in, week out. Some are in South Africa; others, in France. It’s crazy. It depends on how you’re trying to service the market and your approach.”
It’s this clarity of purpose that makes ClassyKinging not just a designer, but an innovator, and a disruptor in the Nigerian creative landscape. Even through the often disrupt audio of Zoom, his vision and determination shone brightly
“Do it for the right reasons, stay true to yourself, and trust the process,” he said in parting. “The rest will come.”
