If you have not yet seen the first season of the Netflix series Made By Design, it’s not too late. The series shines a light on thirteen architects and designers who live and work in Nigeria. The 13-part series was created and co-produced by Design Week Lagos founder Titi Ogufere and co-produced by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Abiola Matesun.
Lagos has long held a prominent place in creativity among African countries including the fame of being home to the Kalakuta Republic and the founder of Afro-funk Fela Kuti, as well as a film mecca with Nollywood producing an average of 2500 films annually. Now, with Made By Design, we are introduced to the complexities of Nigerian design through the vision and narratives of designers showcasing the true meaning of African design.
The series weaves together stories of native Nigerian designers, some of whom have returned home from stints outside Africa, that are inspiring and forward-thinking. Furniture designer Demi Samande speaks to the future and changing attitudes of contemporary Nigerian designers noting, "We are finding our voice and stripping away the replicas we created of the West. Africa’s growth and authenticity lie in designing with the agency to solve African problems whilst being globally inspiring.”
Co-producer Titi Ogufere, born and raised in Lagos, is the founder of Design Week Lagos and a formidable businesswoman and advocate for Nigerian designers and creative thought leaders. She is the founder of the International Designers Association of Nigeria, the 21st President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers, and is both the youngest and first person of African descent to hold this position. Ogufere is also CEO of Essential Media Group, Africa’s most substantial design-led media group.
Made By Design gives us a new way of viewing the abundant creativity that is influencing and leading in design in Africa and around the world through the eyes of architects, interior designers, a carpenter, fashion designers, inventors, and art curators. Available on Netflix.