MsGoodliving

I was discussing history with my husband, and although my Yoruba mother made it a priority to ensure her London-raised children were well aware of their origins, language, culture, history and celebrated figures, some aspects didn’t fully sink in or resonate until I got older.

For example, when anyone now asks me, “Where are you originally from?”

I’ll respond, “The Oyo Empire.”

And I can’t resist singing the intro to the song by Kas in my head: Omo Yoruba ni mi o, swagger. (And that’s a fact!)

If they’re brave enough to probe further, I’ll gladly educate them that this is modern-day Nigeria, a country made up of several historic kingdoms and communities.

You’re welcome for the free history lesson.

But why is this significant?

Because the older I get and the more I understand our history, the more I realise that Nigerians, Yorubas in particular have long understood luxury.

The Yorubas have always had style. Actually, style feels almost too small a word for it. There has always been a certain swagger, that je ne sais quoi that comes from knowing who you are and presenting yourself accordingly.

Long before European fashion houses told the world what was en vogue, valuable, luxurious or couture, Yoruba people already understood craftsmanship, adornment and the power of presentation.

Think of the richness of our textiles. The beads and jewellery. The significance of colour. The intricacy of ceremonial dress. The crowns and regalia of royalty. Even the way clothing could communicate status, occasion, family, community and identity.

And then there were our tailors. We called them tailors, not designers but what were they doing if not designing?

You wanted something made for church, a wedding, a celebration or simply because you had somewhere to go? You bought your fabric and went to your tailor. Bespoke clothing wasn’t reserved exclusively for the wealthy. Having something created specifically for your body was simply part of the culture.

Over time, craftsmanship became even more elaborate. Richer fabrics, intricate embellishment, beads, stones and materials sourced from across the world were incorporated into an unmistakably Nigerian expression of glamour.

Which brings me to Akano Diamonds.

Because what fascinates me about Akano is not simply that a Nigerian woman has created a fine jewellery brand.

It is what Akunna appears to understand about luxury, image and positioning and the confidence with which she is taking that vision beyond Nigeria and into the international world of fine and high jewellery.

Against an industry populated by maisons whose names carry generations, sometimes centuries of history, Akano Diamonds is comparatively young.

Yet it is making itself seen.

And that is where this story becomes interesting.

THE IMAGE BEFORE THE STORY

Before I knew very much about Akano Diamonds, it was the imagery that made me stop.

The jewels, certainly. Extravagant designs. Diamonds. Rich, deeply coloured gemstones. Pieces with enough presence to command attention.

But equally, it was how they were being presented.

High-end, high-fashion editorial photography featuring beautiful dark-skinned Black models, with the jewellery illuminated against their complexions in a way that immediately transported me somewhere familiar.

It reminded me of standing before the illuminated glass displays in Harrods, looking at high jewellery presented almost like works of art. Or turning the glossy pages of Harper’s Bazaar and encountering one of those beautifully art-directed jewellery editorials where fashion, beauty, photography and extraordinary jewels become part of the same fantasy.

That association matters.

Before I had investigated who Akunna was, where Akano Diamonds came from or what ambitions sat behind the house, its imagery had already communicated something to me.

Luxury. Not “Nigerian luxury” requiring a different standard of appreciation. Just luxury.

That is significant because Akunna isn’t asking the viewer to lower or alter their definition of luxury because the house is Nigerian. Visually, she appears to be placing Akano Diamonds directly into an aesthetic world already associated with high jewellery while allowing Black women and the Nigerian identity to occupy the centre of that world.

And the choice of models deserves attention.

Against beautiful dark skin, the brilliance of diamonds, the warmth of precious metals and the intensity of coloured gemstones become particularly striking. Deep greens, reds, blues and other saturated stones seem almost amplified against the complexion.

But it goes beyond contrast and colour.

These women are not standing at the edges of someone else’s luxury narrative. They are the image.

They are elegant, glamorous, beautifully styled and adorned with extraordinary jewels without their Blackness requiring explanation.

For a Nigerian-founded fine jewellery house, that feels both natural and significant.

The established jewellery maisons have had decades, and in some cases centuries, to build the associations we now instinctively make with their names. A younger house has to establish its visual vocabulary much faster.

And Akunna appears to understand this.

FROM NIGERIA TO…

…THE RIGHT ROOMS

Akano Diamonds appearing in destinations and at events associated with Cannes and Monaco is not interesting merely because these places are glamorous.

Consider the ecosystem surrounding them: international wealth, cinema, fashion, private clients, media, culture, influence and some of the world’s most photographed women.

For a fine jewellery house, these are valuable rooms to enter.

Seeing influential women adorned in Akano Diamonds at prestigious international events therefore feels particularly powerful. A Nigerian-founded house is not observing the global luxury industry from a distance. It is positioning its creations within it.

A beautiful jewel, worn by the right woman, captured in the right image and seen in the right room creates associations that, repeated consistently, begin to form identity and eventually, legacy.

It is satisfying to watch a Nigerian-founded fine jewellery maison confidently occupy spaces traditionally dominated by established European houses.

Looking back at the history that began this feature, we are reminded that craftsmanship, adornment, beauty, ceremony and status have long been woven into Nigerian cultures. Indeed, generations of Nigerian artistry and craftsmanship were considered remarkable enough to be collected and carried far beyond their places of origin, with treasured works now forming part of the collections of major museums around the world.

As a result, the emergence of houses such as Akano Diamonds is not about introducing the world to Nigerian luxury. It is, in many ways, a reminder of something the world has encountered before: the richness of Nigerian craftsmanship, creativity and cultural heritage now being expressed by a new generation, through contemporary luxury, and with Nigerians themselves shaping how that story is presented.

Akano Diamonds is still a comparatively young name within an enormous global industry. Legacy cannot be manufactured overnight, and beautiful imagery alone does not create a great jewellery house.

But it can make you stop long enough to want to know more. And when you do look closer, another side of Akano Diamonds begins to emerge.

MAKE IT YOURS

Beyond the statement pieces and editorial imagery is said to be something considerably more personal: the opportunity to create jewellery around the individual who will actually wear it.

Akano Diamonds takes on a select number of bespoke commissions, with clients able to work closely with the house and with Akunna herself, to create pieces connected to their own stories. Engagement rings and wedding bands can be commissioned, treasured heirlooms can be redesigned, and existing pieces personalised through details such as initials, significant dates or bespoke engraving.

Something created simply because you wanted it to be unmistakably yours.

A jewel commissioned to mark a chapter of your life.

Or a piece to be inherited by someone you love.

I particularly like this element of the house because for all the grandeur associated with high jewellery, the exceptional stones, extravagant designs, beautiful campaigns and glamorous rooms, some of our most precious jewellery are valuable for reasons that cannot be measured in carats.

For Appointments: www.akano.co

Image Credits: Images featured in this article are sourced from the official Akano Diamonds Instagram page, @akano_diamonds. All image rights remain with their respective copyright holders.