Moninuade Ayomide, founder of Monidaeys, reveals how Nigerian heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary fashion came together to create Team Nigeria’s Glasgow 2026 ceremonial collection — a celebration of pride, identity and excellence.
What was the central inspiration behind Team Nigeria’s Glasgow 2026 ceremonial attire?
The inspiration was built around two powerful ideas: pride and champions. We wanted Team Nigeria to step onto the global stage not just as athletes, but as cultural ambassadors—representing a nation that continues to influence the world through its fashion, music, film, food, and creativity.
Aso Oke became the natural foundation of the collection because it is one of Nigeria’s most iconic handwoven fabrics, a true symbol of our heritage. We then reimagined it through a modern lens, blending influences from Nigeria’s major ethnic cultures with contemporary styling. Every detail reflected the creativity, craftsmanship, discipline and passion that define Nigerians.
Our goal was simple: when Team Nigeria arrived, the world should instantly recognise excellence before a single competition even began.
What message do you hope Nigerians and the international audience take away from these designs?
For Nigerians, we wanted these designs to remind us that we have every reason to be proud of who we are. Our culture deserves to be celebrated, not just at home but on the world’s biggest stages. For the international audience, this collection was another statement that Nigerian fashion is no longer emerging, it has arrived. Our craftsmanship, storytelling and design language belong on the global stage.
At Monidaeys, we believe fashion can tell a country’s story, and this collection was our way of showing the world that Nigerian design is sophisticated, luxurious and globally relevant.
How long did it take to conceptualise and produce the collection?
The entire journey took just over three months. Everything started with defining the story we wanted to tell – Pride and Champions. Once that vision was clear, we carefully selected materials that could bring it to life. Aso Oke became the hero fabric, complemented by intricate hand-beading and clean white T-shirts to create a modern balance between tradition and contemporary fashion.
We collaborated with more than ten Aso Oke weavers to develop custom patterns before moving into the design phase, where we created multiple outfit combinations to give every athlete a distinctive yet unified look. Following approval from the National Sports Commission, production moved into full swing. While the Aso Oke was being woven, our artisans hand-crafted every beaded Nigerian flag before each garment was meticulously assembled, finished and packaged.
What was the biggest challenge in designing for an international multi-sport event?
The greatest challenge was creating a design that would feel timeless while ensuring every athlete looked and felt exceptional. Unlike traditional bespoke fashion, we had no opportunity for physical fittings. We were designing for more than 150 athletes across different body types, relying entirely on pictures, generic sizes and our experience remotely serving clients around the world.
Years of working with international clients have helped us master virtual measurements and understand how garments should fit different body shapes. Seeing athletes wear their outfits for the first time and having them fit beautifully without alterations, was one of the most rewarding moments of the entire project.
What lessons from Glasgow 2026 will influence your future work?
This project reaffirmed what we’ve always believed: Nigerian craftsmanship can compete with the very best in the world. It also gave us tremendous confidence in our ready-to-wear capabilities. Successfully producing and delivering garments at this scale has strengthened our belief that customers anywhere in the world can order Monidaeys pieces and enjoy exceptional quality and fit.
Glasgow 2026 wasn’t just a milestone, it raised the standard for everything we create moving forward.
Do you believe Team Nigeria’s kits have become more than sportswear—that they now represent a form of Nigerian cultural identity on the global stage?
Without question.
These outfits were never intended to be just ceremonial uniforms. They were designed as wearable expressions of Nigerian identity. The response has been overwhelming. People from across the world have reached out asking where they can buy the designs, and that tells us the collection has resonated far beyond sport. That is exactly what we hoped to achieve.
When fashion inspires pride, sparks conversation and makes people want to wear a piece of your culture, it becomes something much bigger than clothing.
