This week, we caught up with the man of the moment, designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal, the young Nigerian talent who is also known as The Orange Nerd.
As the designer behind the brand Orange Culture, Oke-Lawal has a lot to be proud of, including being amongst the 30 finalists for the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize.
While the competition is still on-going and we have our fingers crossed for Adebayo, we caught up with him to find out about his recent stay in Paris and who he thinks is nicer – Kanye, Karl or Anna…
SPICE: Hi Bayo! What are you working on at the moment?
Bayo: Finishing business school (lol), working on the idea of a resort collection and already started on Spring/Summer. Every other thing will be a surprise.
Congrats on being amongst the 30 finalists for LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize! How would you describe the journey so far?
It has been amazing. LVMH has given young designers like myself an opportunity to branch out into the international market and it’s a privilege to be recognised by such a humongous brand in the industry – to be seen as good enough to even stand under their umbrella. It’s an overwhelmingly pleasant privilege. So thankful for it. It’s only the beginning of better things.
We know you met some great fashion people in Paris, so who would you say is nicer, Kanye, Karl or Anna?
Lmaoooo! They are all amazingly nice people.
Besides your brand Orange Culture, which other brands do you love amongst the finalists?
Miu Niku, Maki Oh, Tillman Lauterbach, Ostwald Hegason, Vika Gazinskaya, Christopher Shannon – literally every one of them.
What did you enjoy most about your stay in Paris, besides the LVMH competition?
Meeting people! Because it was such a short period, I didn’t go out much, but the beautiful people I met made it feel like a working holiday.
What would you say inspires your creative universe at the moment?
Culture, my life and my home.
What trend would you like to stop already this year?
People should just stop littering!
What decade best describes your personal style?
The 70’s.
What can’t you leave home without?
My comb…
What is your go-to travel outfit?
Jeans, the losest shirt possible and some trainers.
What’s currently on your reading list?
My business school books (lmao)!
What’s on your playlist for exercise?
Ayomide Kalejaiye makes the best mixes, so I like to listen to his music; it’s original and it’s new, it’s fresh. He makes all of Orange Culture’s music.
If you could raid anyone’s closet, whose would it be?
Pharrell’s closet, probably.
Finally, tell us one thing on your fashion wish list?
A Christopher Kane sweater! From his S/S’14 collection.
Image source: Adebayo Oke-Lawal
