The art of gele tying was always meant to be for women. Women thought they had a hang over this craft. Women took time to learn this craft and tried different styles when they had the chance. The traditional plaited styles, ‘sego gele’, ‘koju soko gele’, are now vintage and well improved on. But back then, these styles determined the class and glamour of a woman, while it spoke a lot about the hands behind the work of art. It was more of a profession of convenience as the styles available were limited until recently when gele styles could fill a book. The change in this craft did not end there, men began to make their debut in this craft. It is a general belief that when men get into the fashion sector, they do it better! It is always surprising to know that a perfectly knotted gele was tied by a man! They are not just perfect in making a woman look beautiful with the gele, they are young and fiercely adventurous in this craft. Since they are easy to spot, they become popular contacts for female celebrities and socialites. Below are 5 popular guys who tie gele for celebrities.
SAMMY INVENTIONS
This brand, owned by Samuel Akinola, is popular for styling women who want to stand out at events. His creativity has made him the talk amongst celebrity women. With his profound knowledge of different fabrics used for head ties, it is always fun to watch him maneuver with an end result that will keep you in awe! With an ever active Instagram handle, he offers trainings for numerous gele and head tie inspirations you can think of. He has recently worked with celebrities like Funke Anikulapo-Kuti, Mercy Johnson, and many others.
TAIWO’S TOUCH
Taiwo Adebiyi, popularly called Taiwo’s Touch, is another A-list male gele artist who services top-notch Nollywood female stars and Lagos socialites. Taiwo graduated from Yabatech and started his gele tying profession in 2017. He makes waves every time he does his magic! His expertise in tying different types of gele has made different celebrities like Bola Shagaya, Toke Makainwa, Sekinat Elegushi, and many others, trust his service. Asides being popular among celebrities, Taiwo’s Touch is also very popular on Instagram with over 90k followers. Doing this art better than a woman, Taiwo’s Touch, has worked with top celebrity photographers in influencing for beauty and the gele tying art on Instagram. With his love for beauty and fashion, he continues to stand out in this culture-enhancing art. His works make women look stylish and glamourous as he works expertly with different types of fabrics.
IFE GELE
Ife Gele is a brand owned by Olajide Ifeoluwa, a popular gele artist in Lagos. Do you want to look glam and still tie a plaited gele? Ife Gele serves all types of clients. It is no wonder that popular socialite, Emmanuella Ropo Ayinde-Marshal is a constant client. Constantly working on celebrities, Ife Gele continuously proves to be the best!
TBOY GELE
Abudu Sulaimon, a.k.a Tboy Gele, is another male professional in this art. He is a graduate of Auchi Polytechnic. Driven by passion, Tboy’s art can also be found in the midst of celebrities and socialites. He is also a thrilling sensation on Instagram with over 1k active followers and gele inspirations for any kind of woman.
GELE OGE
Raymond Oluwaseun Ayeni is a graduate of Kwara State College of Education. For him, this art is not just a profession of situation but of great passion, building up in him since he was young. He grew up fascinated by the beauty of the gele and how it can been crafted from a plain material to a piece of beauty. Gele Oge is a brand moving the gele tying art out of Nigeria.
– Damilola Akande
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