Maki Oh is a womenswear brand that fuses traditional African techniques with detailed contemporary construction. Founded by Maki Osakwe in 2010, the Maki Oh design ethos challenges prevailing notions of beauty and analyses cultural norms through a womanist lens. The brand is centered in a strong sense of identity and culture, creating narrative pieces that function as direct channels of communication. The Maki Oh vision extends beyond physical beauty to a textured, layered, and three-dimensional aesthetic, embodying the philosophies of sustainability, preservation, strength and complex simplicity.
Maki Oh has been worn by Mrs. Michelle Obama, Lupita N’yongo, Solange Knowles, and more. The brand has shown it’s collections during NYFW and has been featured in Vogue Magazine, WWD, New York Times , The Wall Street Journal, Business of Fashion, W Magazine, New York Magazine, The Financial Times, Forbes, Elle Magazine, Interview Magazine, The Fader, Glamour, Paper Magazine, Nylon, and many others.
In 2014, Maki Oh was invited to the White House as one of Mrs. Michelle Obama’s favorite designers, along with Diane Von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Public School and more. Maki Oh was the first and only Africa-based designer to be invited to the White House. Maki Oh was also one of two Africans to become a finalist in the first LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers.
Photo Credit: Kola Oshalusi (Insigna)
Designer website: http://www.iformitsolutions.com/new-makioh/
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
