Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti via Instagram
Have you met a sixty-something-year-old woman dressed in the most beautiful fabrics, bold jewellery, and hats alongside the prettiest smile? If an image of Yeni Kuti doesn’t come to mind, then you aren’t familiar with her games. Whenever Nigerians talk about older men and women in fashion, they consistently mention stars in the entertainment industry like Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Rita Dominic, Shaffy Bello, Mo Abudu, Sola Sobowale, Mai Atafo, Kate Henshaw and others. However, no one ever mentions Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, popularly known as Aunty YK.
The first time I came across Aunty YK was on Your Views, a TV program on TVC where social topics worldwide are discussed. Her bold jewellery pieces, grey hair, scarf and hat caught my attention. Many know Aunty YK as one of the female children of the legendary Fela Kuti, the woman who started the felaberation movement alongside her brother Femi Kuti, one of the ladies on Your Views who is also the managing director of the New Afrika Shrine. Still, no one recognises her as the style icon she is. Her fashion style isn’t well-spoken because you would hardly see any lady in their forties to sixties dressed unconventionally like Aunty YK.
As a child who has always loved fashion, I was glad to see someone like Aunty YK on TV. She has an unconventional fashion style you don’t see every day, especially in Nigeria. An average Nigerian woman embodies the essence of fashion in her native attire, adorned with gold jewellery, sparkling purses, and eye-catching shoes, all complemented by stylish sunglasses. Yet, no one does it quite like Aunty YK.
Her style screams bold, vibrant, Afrocentric, youthful, and colourful. She sometimes reminds me of Iris Apfel with how she incorporates colours into her outfits. She is always doing matchy-matchy with her outfits.
As a young female child living in Nigeria, I’m often told to dress down and reduce how I layer my clothes. My peers and older people frequently criticise me. They stare at me and often say, “This dressing style can’t work in a place like Nigeria”. Many have been forced to dress most acceptably while neglecting their self and style. What is the most acceptable form of dressing in Nigeria? Sometimes, I wonder how Aunty YK dealt with so many critics in a country like Nigeria, where women were encouraged to wear cool and calm colours and dress properly. I wonder how she stayed true to her style all these years while neglecting the noise from different sides. In a world where women are often advised to dress down, Aunty YK stands strong.
Yeni Kuti’s style encourages me to stay true to myself and my roots. Her style encourages me to explore colours and fashion even as I get older because older women can be stylish, too. I’ve also learned that African culture can be vibrant, beautiful, diverse, and trendy. I’m grateful for older women who don’t stick to the status quo and explore all they want especially at a certain age where women are often caged. They make ageing admirable.
Like Iris Apfel would say, “Fashion has this youth mania, but 70-year-old ladies don’t have 18-year-old bodies, and 18-year-olds don’t have 70-year-olds’ dollars”. Aunt Yk has shown that she has the money, style, and body. And have you seen her dance?
Yeni Kuti is my style icon. Who is yours?
