The Nigerian skatewear brand launches its new Japanese-made collection in partnership with Awa'Tori.
WAFFLESNCREAM is a necessary force in the local youth urban culture. Firmly planted at the helm of the country’s burgeoning skate subculture, the WAFFLESNCREAM team is committed to championing and aptly documenting Africa’s growing skate scene through any medium possible. Though first established in 2012, the brand only began gaining notable traction in 2017, following the launch of their flagship store in Marina, Lagos. Since then, WAFFLESNCREAM has become a household name for all things skate culture, amassing influence through their distinctive skatewear line, community events, and particularly enlightening short films.
Like all skate crews found in different corners of the earth, WAFFLESNCREAM is very keen on community. It’s the very pillar on which the brand was built. Over the years, they’ve organised various communal events as part of their campaign to help signal-boost Nigeria’s growing skate scene as well as raise funds for the construction of their intended local skate park. However, they’re well aware that the skate community is beyond Lagos. It’s why they’ve made their way past the country’s borders and penetrated other skate scenes in Africa, like Ghana and Botswana, collaborating with like-minded skaters.
It’s this same yearn for cross-cultural exchange that carted the team to Tokyo, Japan, the skate mecca for the modern world. WAFFLESNCREAM has partnered with Awa ‘Tori to release their Japsule collection for their latest drop in their skatewear line, a 6-piece clothing collection made from recycled material and manufactured entirely in Japan. Although their proposed physical visit to Japan for the launch was halted due to Covid-19, the product launch was held mid-October, collaborating with Pizza Slice and Asics Skateboarding.
The Japsule collection includes a raincoat, reversible bucket hat, waterproof shorts, socks, the buddha peace, love, and unity tee, and WAFFLESNCREAM branded chopsticks. Speaking on the collection’s design choices, WAFFLESNCREAM Creative Director, Jomi Bello, tells B.Side: “We wanted to try and attempt things we couldn’t possibly make here in Lagos.” Choosing to work with the Japanese collaborators was a deliberate decision. The Japanese are known for their craftsmanship and rich culture, so a merger of both cultures was bound to result in something explosive. Shedding more light on this, Jomi adds, “ We wanted to see what life was like in Japan and for the Japanese to understand what was going on in Lagos. Both cultures are very design-heavy and heritage-heavy. We’re both traditional people. We have a lot in common.”
The Japsule collection is now available for sale on WAFFLESNCREAM’s international website. They have also released an ITA tee, which is exclusively available only in Nigeria.
