Lola Faturoti is a Nigerian-born, New York-based fashion designer with extensive experience and renowned international repute. Faturoti, who hails from Ondo State, went on to school in London before moving to New York in the early 1990s. Her fashion journey began from childhood when she helped her grandmother, who was also a fashion designer. “I got interested in fashion because my grandmother was a designer. She designed Nigerian traditional clothes. That was my first introduction to fashion, which I hated because I wanted to be out playing instead of picking out seams!”
Her inspiration is mainly drawn from her roots, and Faturoti rose to fame in New York when she made a dress to celebrate Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States. The dress had these bold Yoruba words, “Oluwa gba President Barack Obama,” which means, “God Bless President Barack Obama.”
She confirms that her mother played a major role in defining her personal style. “My mom travelled a lot to London and New York. She bought me a lot of clothes, so I began to dress differently. I think that was the first introduction to me wanting to be different through clothing,” says Faturoti.
While in New York, she was employed in the Charivari Boutique where president of the company, Barbara Weiser, noticed her potential and passion for unique fashion and helped her launch her first fashion collection. Her passion for African fashion is profound. “Everything begins for me with the print and fabric, which usually has some shine,” exclaims Faturoti. Her deep African roots, as well as extensive global experience with having lived and worked in New York and Milan have been instrumental in her success and international spotlight.
