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Gibemi Okunlola did not think she would be a wedding dress designer.
At the age of 11, Okunlola dreamed of working in the fashion industry as a self-taught seamstress. The bridegroom’s robe was not on the radar.
“I was sewing clothes and riding a bike,” Okunlola, now 27, told the Inside Line.
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But when two of her clients approached her about making wedding dresses, her work went to the bride.
British fashion designer Gibemi Okunlola has now stumbled upon a wedding that looks like a twist.
When the customers came to her, Okunlola said she did not pretend to be a wedding dress designer.
“According to what you have seen [my] Evening dresses, I could make wedding dresses for them, ”she said of her clients,“ I like temptation, so I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’
A few months later, Okunlola’s sister got married, so she found her making a wedding dress again.
During the design process, Okunlola discovered that she had the ability to create elaborate wedding dresses. She also says that she developed a genuine love for her craft.
“A wedding dress is more emotional than any dress you wear,” she said. She added that she felt special.
Okunlola felt she could turn her business into a wedding industry, and in 2013 she founded Alonuko, a 19-year-old London-based company. She will host her first fashion show next year.
Today, Alonuko exports dresses from around the world. The brand has over 200,000 followers on Instagram.
Okunlola expands brand by launching unique market
Okunlola is best known for her fantasy dress, styled with sheer, tulle base and embroidered with crystal or lace. Although she is not the only designer, she is one of the few black women in the world who has worked with fantasy gowns.
Big difference: Most wedding dresses on the market show a nude fabric based on white skin color. That blends well with light-skinned brides but does not include a wide range of women’s skin tones.
“When I was making my sister’s wedding dress, we found that we were only given an option for the beige tone, as opposed to the one that wore everything underneath,” she said as she looked at the bride’s wedding dress.
The ruffled skirts were designed to blend in with the leather she wore, so Okunlola thought it was “amazing” and there were no black cover options.
“It will never be the opposite and it will not look good,” she said.
Okunlola went into research and development to see if it was possible to create a net for black women. The key was a thin, strong tulle to blend in with the skin.
“It took a lot of work,” she said, “but once the customers started flocking to Gawan, it was worth it.” Thinking about other options on the market, she said she felt that Okunlola brands would not be able to accommodate even dark-skinned women.
“It’s not just a brown option; it’s a brown option, a beige option, a dark brown option,” she said. “No matter what color your skin is, you should feel that the dress is for you.”
Brides say it made the Okunlola designs stand out
Kehinde Adekoya had a different look for the wedding day, so she asked Okunlola to shape her dress.
“I refused to compromise because I loved fashion,” Adekoya said. “I knew she could deliver, and she did.”
Bride Kehinde Adekoya wore a fake gown designed for Okunlola on her wedding day.
Nelson Nit
“The net is exactly the same as my skin tone.” Because I’m dark skinned, it’s not easy for designers to match such an intricate one with someone as dark as me, “Kehinde told Insider.
Similarly, Daisy Boateng has chosen to partner with Okunlola because she considers her one of the best wedding dress designers in the UK.
Boateng presented an inspiring photo to Okunlola, but she said the final dress was better than you expected. Hypocrisy was especially important for Boateng.
Bride Daisy Boateng on her son Alonuko Gaun on her wedding day.
Photo by Timmy Ocean
“Band Aids in the world are beige. If you get a ribbon, they are beige.”
Boateng explained that for this reason, a skin-like bodice had an effect on her as a black woman.
“Let her have a dress made of black leather, make her look beautiful, and let the white girls have the time they had for years,” Boateng said to Okonlola, “thank you.”
Okunlola hopes the process of getting a wedding dress will be more fun for all types of brides
Okunlola lamented to Insider that many people in the fashion world are “unthinkable”.
“Especially for the bride, it is meant to be a very exciting, emotional experience from beginning to end,” she told me.
Often, she says, this is not the case with her bridesmaids. One of her clients says she has gone to 30 different bridal stores to find fantasy dresses that work with her skin tone. No one had.
Okunlola said she hoped her work would change.
Okunlola is currently expanding its brand. In addition to the award-winning dresses, Alonuko has developed dresses, accessories, and new outfits to order. Okunlola plans to release a ready-to-wear line by the end of the year.
“The brand we are building will not end with wedding dresses,” said Okunlola. “This is an amazing and long-lasting global brand.”
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