Indigenous Patterns in Contemporary Nigerian Textile Design: A Study of Aso-Oke Adaptations

Aso-oke, the hand-woven prestige textile of the Yoruba people, has sustained centuries of cultural significance while continuously adapting to changing fashion contexts and consumer preferences. This study examines how Aso-oke weaving patterns are being adapted in contemporary textile design, focusing on production communities in Iseyin, Oyo State, which serves as the most prominent Aso-oke weaving hub in Nigeria's South West geopolitical zone. A mixed-methods design is employed, combining ethnographic observation of weaving workshops with structured interviews conducted with 40 weavers, 15 fashion designers, and 10 textile traders. The study documents recent pattern innovations, colour palette shifts, and the introduction of lurex and rayon weft threads alongside traditional silk and cotton, evaluating the aesthetic and commercial rationale for these adaptations. The theoretical framework draws on cultural sustainability, craft innovation literature, and the fashion studies scholarship on heritage textiles in contemporary design. Recent scholarship on Nigerian heritage textiles has identified a growing market among diaspora consumers and international fashion buyers that is reshaping production decisions in Iseyin. The study examines whether these market pressures are driving meaningful creative innovation or superficial stylistic changes that risk diluting the cultural specificity of the textile. Findings are expected to contribute to the discourse on heritage craft adaptation and provide practical insights for fashion designers, cultural policy advocates, and the National Institute for Leather Science Technology. Keywords: Aso-oke, textile design, Iseyin, heritage craft, Yoruba weaving