BHM | COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: ABIGAIL AJOBI
Abigail Ajobi is the revolutionary designer and director of luxury streetwear label ‘Ajobi’ on a mission to highlight uncomfortable issues through her print-based designs and contributions towards creating social and cultural awareness.
Firstly tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
“My name is Abigail Ajobi, and I’m 25 years old. I am a London-born and Yoruba-raised fashion designer based in London, specialising in luxury streetwear. Being born into a Nigerian family of Yoruba origin but raised in an urban UK city means I was surrounded by a mix of rich cultures growing up, which influenced my work with many of my themes being based around culture and race. I studied at the University of the Arts London - graduated from London College of Fashion in 2019 with previous study at Central Saint Martins.”
“BEING A FASHION DESIGNER ALLOWS ME TO EXPRESS MY VIEW OF THE WORLD IN THE MOST CREATIVE WAY”
Where did your inspiration come from as a Black creative?
“My culture is my biggest inspiration. I also want to find a way to use my platform to amplify the voice of others around me.”
Who is your biggest role model in your chosen field and why?
“I really admire the impact that Virgil Abloh had on the industry during the brief but powerful time he was with us. Especially as a black man in modern America that didn’t come from a traditional fashion school background, his legacy really highlighted to me that anything is possible.”
Who inspires you?
“My parents hence why I have based my last two collections on them. They are not creatives but the love that they taught me along with the work ethic that they instilled in me makes me who I proudly am today.”
How would you describe the style of your work?
“In 3 words: sustainable, cultural and innovative.”
Do you think it has been hard as a Black creative to find the limelight in the creative field?
“I think it's safe to say nothing good comes easy and people really do judge a book by its cover. But the light of true talent can never be dimmed.”
Have you come across any set backs in your craft? How did you deal with them?
“My mantra is to identify the problem and navigate through it as quickly as possible. I think in being an entrepreneur and a small business owner it is very easy to dwell on every problem that arises no matter the magnitude but the best thing I've found is just to deal with it quickly and move forward because there will always be more challenges on your journey!”
What does black history month mean to you?
“I’m not sure how to answer this. ‘Black history month’ feels like a textbook term to me.”
Do you have any pieces of work that are inspired by your race?
“Race and culture are one of the core themes of my work. My first collection entitled ‘Those Who don’t Hear… Must Feel’ highlights a theme around racial stereotypes specifically the way Black men have been presented in the media and the judicial system throughout British history. The ‘hate fear Convertible coat’ was designed with the concept of being ‘amour for the mandem’. It features protest text with slogans such as ‘stop killing the mandem’, ‘no kkk police’, ‘they hate what they fear’.”
“BE PERSISTENT, KNOW YOUR GOAL, AND BELIEVE IN GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE WITH PATIENCE IN YOUR HEART”.
What changes would you like to see in your industry for your people?
“I just want to see more and more of us shine in the most unrefined way! And I believe it's coming.”
Following London Fashion Week I will be showing my 4th collection at Lagos Fashion Week this month (November). Check it out!
A huge thank you to our wonderful feature on our blog page. This wouldn’t be possible without you and we are grateful for the inspiration, motivation and support you illuminate! Make sure to connect with Abigail on her networking pages, and let her and us at [FORE] know what you thought, felt and what resonated most from this interview.
-TEAM FORE