Mowalola Ogunlesi is a 24-year-old Nigerian-American breakout designer whose undergraduate collection has received widespread accolades around the world.
She is heavily influenced by Nigeria’s most vibrant city Lagos, which happens to be her native city. She mentions that her debut collection, entitled, ‘Psychedelic,’ was very driven by the city’s features. A Central Saint Martins graduate, her debut collection offered up menswear as you rarely see it: Sexy and unhindered by stereotypes. Or as she describes it, “unapologetically black and pan-African,” she dished in an interview with W Magazine.
It is also interesting to note that fashion seems to run in her genes as she comes from a generation of fashion designers, as both of her parents are fashion designers, as was her Scottish grandmother, who, after marrying Ogunlesi’s grandfather, moved to Nigeria in the 1960s and launched a fashion label that used textiles produced locally.
In Psychedelic, Mowalola drew inspiration from what she defines as ‘petrol heads’. Petrol heads, she goes further to explain, are the male racers in Lagos who are enthusiastic about cars and pimping out their rides. This is evident with the models featured in the collection who could be found sporting car-logo chain necklaces and earrings, and carrying giant headlights. She also draws inspiration from Lagos’ busy roads and open markets, as well as what she describes as the ”lawless bus drivers” whom she mentions have the funniest graffiti art on their vehicles.
The designer whose interests vary from fashion to drums has the same love for both passions, because for her, both are a performance. Her work has been featured in several magazines such as Love and Afropunk and more recently, her designs were worn by singer and fashion icon, Solange for her “Dazed” magazine cover. Ogunlesi has also received praise from Fashion maestros like Kanye West.
Despite her growing success, the young designer whose move to England’s country side occured when she was 12 years old, still identifies as Nigerian, and channels her heritage through her work. During the promotional photoshoot for her debut collection, which has been resposible for launching her into the spotlight, she admits to having Nigerian music playing at the photoshoot and even eating Nigerian food during breaks.
“We had Nigerian music playing and my parents brought some jollof rice to keep us going,” she said.
She also speaks about the lack of support in most black families for the creative industry. She highlights that she’s at an advantage because it been different for her coming from a family who are no strangers to the fashion business.
“It’s been hard for many black people to get into creative industries, because they don’t have support from their parents,” she says.
Another win for the young graduate has been working as fashion stylist on the infamous Nike Football kit for the Super Eagles as Nike unveiled that they were the official partners for FIFA Soccer World Cup 2018.
This determined creative seems to be well on her way to greatness and we’re loving that she’s placing Africa, in particular, Nigeria, on the map opening up a discourse in fashion where style isn’t merely limited to the Western culture but, can also be appreciated whilst imbibing elements from Africa as a continent. Art afterall, is an expression and expression is universal.
