Lanre da Silva

Last updated
Lanre da Silva Ajayi
Born
Lanre da Silva

1978 (age 4647)
Nationality Nigerian
Occupation Fashion designer
Known forUse of metallic fabrics and lace
Relatives Leo DaSilva
Website lanredasilvaajayi.com

Lanre da Silva (born 1978) is a Nigerian fashion designer based in Lagos. She launched her label in 2005, producing couture, ready-to-wear pieces, jewellery, and hair accessories. [1] [2] Her collections often feature metallic fabrics, lace, and African-inspired patterns, drawing from historical fashion elements such as those of the 1940s and 1800s. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

She is of Yoruba origin. After completing secondary education in Nigeria, da Silva moved to the United Kingdom to pursue further studies. She earned an undergraduate degree in business administration from Coventry University and a master's degree in finance from the University of Leicester. [4]

Da Silva is married and has children. She has two siblings. Her father, Sir Leo Babarinde Da Silva, served as Secretary to the Lagos State Government. [5]

Career

In 2011, da Silva presented a collection at New York Fashion Week.[ citation needed ] Her clothing line has been stocked at Dolce & Gabbana's "Concept Spiga 2" store in Milan. [6] In 2012, she took part in the United Nations "Fashion Development Project", which focuses on fashion industry initiatives in Africa. [7] That same year, her label appeared in an issue of L'Uomo Vogue titled "Re-branding Africa". [8]

In 2012, Vogue Italia ran a feature on da Silva, noting media attention surrounding her work. [9] She was mentioned again in 2014, in connection with her collection being stocked on online fashion retailer Yoox. [10] Her work has been covered by Vogue Black and Arise Magazine . [11] [12]

Her designs have been noted for their use of traditional African textile patterns. [13] In 2017, she produced designs for a lookbook by Vlisco, a textile manufacturer. [14]

In 2014, her "Rock Delight" collection was shown at the "Vogue Talents" fashion event in Milan. [15] The collection referenced visual elements associated with Olumo Rock in Nigeria. Her work has been included in events such as the 2008 Thisday Africa Rising Festival in London, the 2009 Arise Africa Fashion Festival in South Africa, the 2009 New York Couture Fashion Week, and the 2011 Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos. [4]

In 2017, she collaborated with artist Ayoola Gbolahan on a collection that incorporated hand-painted elements. [16] That year, she was nominated for an Eloy Award, an event recognizing female professionals in Nigeria. [17] [18] In 2016, she appeared on the cover of Complete Fashion Magazine. [19]

Da Silva has commented on challenges within the Nigerian fashion industry, including lack of production infrastructure. [2] Lagos has since become a growing centre for fashion in West Africa. [20]

References

  1. Shaw, Jacqueline (2011). Fashion Africa. AFG Pub. p. 155. OCLC   773348883.
  2. 1 2 "#MAKEITHAPPEN: LANRE DASILVA AJAYI – Elle South Africa". elle.co.za. 22 August 2017.
  3. "Naomi Campbell a nigériai divathét sztárja". euronews (in Hungarian). 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  4. 1 2 "People often mistake me for a man –Lanre Da Silva". punchng.com. 22 July 2017.
  5. Wemimo, Esho (8 January 2015). "Lanre DaSilva Ajayi: See resemblance between herself and sister". pulse.ng. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  6. Dinnie, Keith (2015). Nation Branding Concepts, Issues, Practice (2nd ed.). London: Routledge. p. 263.
  7. Group, Oxford Business (2013-12-04). The Report: Nigeria 2013. ISBN   9781907065927.{{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  8. Mix, Pulse (16 October 2013). "Sneak preview into Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi, LDA's Fashion World". Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  9. "Lanre Da Silva Ajayi – Vogue.it" . Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  10. "Lanre da Silva Ajayi – Vogue.it".
  11. "A Look into The Elegant And Vibrant Style of Fashion Designer Lanre DaSilva Ajayi – Style Rave". www.stylerave.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  12. "Si è cercato lanre – Vogue.it". Vogue.it. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  13. Gott, Suzanne; Loughran, Kristyne S.; Quick, Betsy D.; Rabine, Leslie W. (10 April 2018). African-Print Fashion Now!: A Story of Taste, Globalization, and Style. Fowler Museum at UCLA. ISBN   9780990762638.
  14. "We ? Vlisco's New S3/2017 Lookbook created by Lanre DaSilva Ajayi". 18 August 2017.
  15. "Your First Look! Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi's "Rock Delight" Collection Debut at Vogue Talents 2014 in Italy". 18 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  16. "Womenswear Designer Lanre DaSilva Ajayi unveils a New Collection for S/S 2017 called "Artistic Statement"". 27 February 2017.
  17. "ELOY Awards Announces 2017 Influencers". thisdaylive.com. November 4, 2017.
  18. "Eloy Awards".
  19. "#CFCoverStars: Lanre DaSilva Ajayi & the Okunoren Twins Sparkle for Complete Fashion's October Edition". 25 October 2016.
  20. "A Fashion Insider's Guide to Nigeria's Style Capital". 30 October 2015.