Olufemi Alaba Olanrewaju is a trained lawyer, fashion designer and CEO of Stripestrends, a fashion designing outfit. Olanrewaju who tells PAUL OMOROGBE fashion is inborn for him, shares why after being called to bar, he still holds on to his fashion trade.
Seeing that you are into fashion designing, why did you study law?
I went to study law at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife because of my desire to defend people and fight for their rights. I had an interesting infanthood; I was never denied of my rights because I had this personality that made people respect me from afar. Yet I always felt touched when I saw that people’s rights were denied and oppressed, yet nobody is ready to stand up for them. That’s why I went into law! Fashion, however, is deeper for me. Fashion has always been part of me. I love drawing, I paint, I love dressing a lot. Fashion is inborn for me. I always tell my friends: If you have a ‘rag’, wash, iron it properly and wear it well; when people see you, they will see that a ‘rag’ can be better than a new cloth. That has been my advice to people: Don’t think big clothes make a big man. Whatever you have, if you take care of it very well, and wear it well, people will admire it on you. That is where the passion for fashion comes in.
What’s missing among fashion designers and what makes you stand out?
If you look at most of the fashion designers you will discover that many launched into it just because they have the capital to do so. Some have no real passion for it and want to just make a name or make money! I tell people that if you don’t love what you are doing deeply, you can’t be happy doing it. I sew very well and anytime I am behind the machine doing my work, I don’t get tired. There is this joy that comes along with my work such that sometimes I forget to eat – that’s to show you how passionate I am about my work. That’s the difference. In fact, I create most of my designs. The customer just gives me the material and says to me, ‘I believe in what you can do.’ And when I come out with new ideas and designs, they compliment it and say ‘This is really a good job.’ But then, I keep asking myself, ‘Is this really good; is this the best I can do?’
What training did you do to go into fashion?
Ha! (exclaims) I can’t really say when my training started. It was more of passion that drove me to practice and it became part of me. Actually, the training began accidentally. I call it a push, not training. Like I said before, I have this passion for fashion and whatever I choose to wear is unique. I began sewing professionally when I entered OAU, Ife. However, the ‘training’ started with the tailors I had as friends. When I wear a design, people ask me how I got it. And I tell them I designed it myself. Then they ask me if I can do something similar. So I get the jobs from them, take it to my tailor friends, I give the idea of what I want them to sew, and they sew it perfectly. So I began to think: if I keep getting people like this now, why don’t I start something? So I started going to those tailors to watch what they were doing closely. I began using their machines to work. I made mistakes at the beginning, but gradually kept getting better. I never stayed under anyone as an apprentice. That’s was not good enough, but that was the interesting way I started. Anywhere I found myself, the first thing I would do is locate a tailor’s shop, stay there and observe what they do.
This was the period between when I finished secondary school and entering university. When I entered OAU, I began with amendment of clothing. Gradually, people’s confidence in me grew and they started asking me to sew from scratch for them. I never told customers I can’t do it. No matter how expensive the material was, I never gave the impression that I could not do it. I acted with confidence, and to the glory of God, I never spoilt anyone’s clothing; except for not getting the design they wanted perfectly.
What do you intend to focus on henceforth, law or fashion?
That would be fashion; because of the passion. I can close my eyes and sew on the machine without making mistake. I believe that whatever you do that gives you peace is what you should develop.
If you pick fashion designing, what will you do about the oppressed people you talked about?
That’s a tricky question. Law is something I can still do if I want to. I can still open my chambers later on, own a fashion entity and give it to someone to manage for me, while I face my practice.
What do you see as the future of fashion industry in this country?
I see a future where fashion design becomes truly indigenous, where we don’t copy foreign wears and we produce all the materials that we wear.
Do you train people?
Yes, I have been doing that since I began professionally. I welcome people because I have a passion for teaching and I have many undergraduates that work with me. I ask them to face their studies though, because that is their primary assignment.
What is your advice to young aspiring entrepreneurs?
Just one! Get yourself busy doing something you love. If don’t do what you love doing, you may end up living a frustrated life.