Nigerian-born Duro Olowu is a
lawyer turned-designer, based in London, U.K., and is one U.S. first lady
Michelle Obama’s favourite fashion artists.
Born
in Lagos Nigeria, to a Nigerian father and a Jamaican mother, Olowu’s profile is on the rise again as J.C.
Penney, a major American retailer, operating 1,102 department stores in
49 states of U.S. and Puerto Rico recently announced a partnership with the London,
U.K.-based designer.
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| Michele Obama in Duro Olowu |
Olowu will be Penney’s first "seasonal designer," releasing a
limited-edition collection for spring 2013.
According to Olowu, "This
collection is for anyone, from 18 to 80... Everything has a flattering element,
whether you mix prints or pull out one piece and keep it simple." It will
include clothes, bags, shoes jewelry and other accessories. The
collection due to hit JC Penney stores in March 2013 will retail for $10-$100.
Some of
Olowu’s brightly printed designs have attracted the fancy of Mrs Obama. Other high profile
lovers of Olowu’s designs include top Hollywood actress Uma Thurman and one of Canadian leading models,
Linda Evangelista.
Olowu’s bio
says being raised in Nigeria and England, offered better environment to
develop his love for designing.
When Duro was younger, he developed an
enthusiasm for fashion, and became inspired by the mixture of colors, rich
texture of clothing worn by the women around him. Following in his father’s
footsteps, he became a lawyer but later gave it up to follow his dream of
becoming a fashion designer.
In October
2004, he launched his first self-titled women’s wear label with a collection
for Spring/Summer 2005. The collection was inspired by a theme of ‘love and
joy’.
Olowu was named New Designer of the Year
during the 2005 British Fashion Week in London, only one year after the
launching of his label!
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| Duro Olowu |
He has the skill to take the bold
pattern and color from his African heritage - but to use the shades and
patterns to mix prints in a modern way. The effect of an old English rose
floral, shown against a leopard print, was powerful and so was the idea of
taking the same print in different colors and putting them together in one
garment.
Above all, Olowu's clothes never look
ethnic, the prints confined to streamlined, modern clothes. The result was a
collection that seemed to bring out something in the designer's soul - but also
to relate that to the modern closet.
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