Abiola A. Olusola releases Debut Collection titled ‘Emi’

Abiola A. Olusola is a contemporary women’s wear brand founded in 2017 on the philosophy that dressing should be effortless and chic.

The Creative Director and Owner of the eponymous brand, Abiola Adeniran-Olusola, speaks on her journey:

I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer since I was 13 so after graduating from University of Lagos, I worked for an online retail company here in Lagos, while there I went for a Summer fashion design and draping course in Dubai by London College of Fashion. Afterwards, I decided to go to Paris to study fashion design at Istituto Marangoni for 3 years. While at Istituto Marangoni, I interned at Givenchy, Lanvin and a few other notable brands. My graduate collection was selected to be shown at Pitti Uomo in Florence, at Istituto Marangoni’s graduate show in Paris, at the Dominican Republic fashion week and at Who is Next Paris. It was also featured on Vogue Italia.

On her Debut Collection

After a few years in Paris I decided to move to Nigeria to start my own brand, “Emi” (which means ‘me’ in Yoruba) is the first official collection of my brand. Emi is an Autumn Winter collection inspired by contemporary African women like myself. It is an introspective collection that came together by putting my culture, experiences, travels, feelings, moods into forms shapes, colours and eventually garments. It is a statement about how individuals are a collective of various experiences and ultimately a part of something.

This collection was made in Nigeria. I printed fabrics with adire makers in Abeokuta, used aso-oke found in Lagos and worked with a local knitwear brand, Bloke NG. I was also inspired by the modern African woman who is constantly on the move hence she needs clothes that allow her to function and look chic at the same time.

Credits
Brand: Abiola Adeniran-Olusola | @abiolaaolusola
Photography: Enyeasi Kadara | @enyeasi.k
Location: AAF Lagos | @aaf_lagos
Makeup: Precious Minimah | @preciousbeautie
Models: Daberechi @daberechi_ of  @fewmodels and Faith Johnson @faith__johnson of @fowlermodels
Knitwear: Bloke Nigeria | @bloke_ng