Meet: Anu Oye

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, my early style was shaped by hand-me-downs. Though offered with love, these pieces never quite fit—neither in size nor in spirit. They reminded me that I was wearing someone else’s story. Instead of accepting those ill-fitting narratives, I became curious. I wondered: What would clothing look like if it were designed not just for a body, but for a person’s essence?

My Yoruba culture—especially Aso Ebi "AH-shoh EH-bee", a term for family/group cloth, is a tradition where families and communities celebrate together by choosing a shared fabric but expressing it through individually designed garments—gave me my first true language of style. Even though the material is the same, every person transforms it in a way that reflects who they are. Watching this process—choosing the fabric, imagining the silhouette, and seeing each unique interpretation come to life—ignited something powerful in me.

These moments shaped my belief in clothing as a form of transformation and self-expression, and they continue to inspire my mission: to empower women through garments that honor both their story and their essence.

OPA WúLOUNA "Opah-Wu-Low-Na" is my first name "Anuoluwapo" spelled backwards