Maison Àlu’lla
For our second edition, we hung out with the creative director of Maison Àlu’lla and spoke about heritage, craftsmanship and building a fashion brand with intention.
ARENI Attire | July
What inspired you to start designing?
At university, I started making pieces for myself and people would always ask, “Oh my gosh, where’s that from? I want that.” That’s when I realised, I could actually make money from this. Studying art history and learning about Benin art, Yoruba culture and our textiles also made me appreciate the great craftsmanship we have here and I really wanted to create clothes that highlight that.
When do you feel the most inspired to create?
I’m such a girl’s girl, so I feel the most inspired after spending time with my aunties or my girlfriends. I’ll leave thinking, okay… what would I have wanted everyone to wear? We could just be out for drinks, and suddenly I’m imagining outfits and thinking of new ideas.
What are your favourite fabrics to work with?
I love linen. It’s breathable, functional, very versatile and fun to play with. I also love chiffon. I think it’s so sultry and feminine. More recently, I’ve been drawn to mesh and jersey. I love a cheeky, sexy, see-through moment. And jersey just hugs a woman’s body in all the right places.
What has been the biggest challenge in your journey so far?
Definitely learning how to balance being a creative with being a business owner. As a creative, you’re thinking, I love this design. But as a business owner, you have to ask yourself, is this actually going to sell? When I first started I was purely fuelled by passion but I couldn’t account for all the money I’d made. Now I’m much stricter with my accounting and I ensure I’m paying attention to what’s actually performing. I’ve learnt that creativity and running a business have to go hand in hand.
Who’s someone you’d like to collaborate with that you haven’t yet?
I actually have two people. Lisa Folawiyo, because she’s incredible. I don’t know how she does it, but everything she creates is just amazing. The second is Slawn. I know that’s a bit surprising because our aesthetics are so different, but I think it’d be really interesting to bring in his boldness with my femininity. My art history background is probably why that kind of collaboration excites me.
"As a creative, you're thinking, I love this design. But as a business owner, you have to ask yourself, is this actually going to sell?"
Is Maison Àlu’lla a reflection of your personal style?
Definitely. That being said, I’m also trying to push myself creatively and design for women who wouldn’t necessarily dress like me. I still want the brand to reflect my personal style, but I enjoy creating for different kinds of women too.
What‘s your creative process behind a collection?
It’s actually not very organised. Sometimes I’ll start by sourcing fabrics and think, okay, what would look good in this? A dress, a top, maybe a two-piece…
Other times, I’ll already have the silhouette in my head, so I’ll look for references and build from there. So it really just depends on the day and what’s inspiring me at the time.
Shop Maison Àlu’lla
Where do you look for references?
Pinterest, all the time. I also love fashion magazines. I’m a Vogue girl through and through. And I also look through old photos of my mum because she was so stylish. So sometimes a colour, a fabric or a silhouette from something she wore sparks a new idea.
What has been the biggest surprise in your journey?
Honestly, how much people genuinely love the brand. During my break, people would stop me or message me asking, “When are you coming back?” I knew people liked the clothes, but I didn’t realise how much they connected with the brand itself. That was such a nice surprise, and it made me really happy.
ARENI Attire is an editorial series spotlighting the people behind the brands you’ll discover on ARENI, who are shaping contemporary Nigerian fashion.