MEET THE COLLABORATORS
March of every year since 2016 is when I start putting down my thoughts towards the year’s photoshoot. By July / August, every thing needed would be ready and then designing and the actual sewing would follow.
A lot of people don’t bring there problems here. Anyway, I digress…
In my mind I was thinking, “Doyin, so this is how you will not do photoshoot this year”. I was already thinking of the garments I have not worn, I can use them for the shoot.
Anyways, while my mind and I were doing all of that, I got a “pinch” on my heart to work with other creatives.
People create gardens in order to attract Butterflies. A butterfly garden (also known as a butterfly sanctuary or butterfly habitat) is an area for butterflies to feed and thrive.
The plants you grow in your butterfly garden attract lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), which help with pollination.
Pollination is an essential part of plant reproduction, You can liken this to Human.
You can create your own garden; your CIRCLE. The type of plants (Value, Personal development) you have in your garden (Life) will determine how you will turn out.
Trust me, you have to be Intentional about attracting the right set of people.
It will shape who you also become. I am big on #Collaboration… I know and understand the Benefits. I fought with the thought of using what I have or working with other creatives till September when I finally made that call for Collaboration. Great People answered me, I mean, people who also run their businesses.
@arabinrin – our stylist
@adaeze-dexy-onu – my ginger model
@Osinubi Adedamola – our stylist
@mimiremitextiles – our Fabric Designer
@hairllot Adetola Ayinde – our hairstylist
Ms Ife – our Illustrator
@teckostudio – our Make up Artist
My darling Anifat Afolayan Ayomide who did all the Sewing
And my humble self – created all the patterns
Thank you so much for making this happen despite your busy schedules. I appreciate you . You are all STARS. A shining one
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the Creative Collaborators of this year’s Birthday Shoot
The Butterfly 
and its different Interpretation Inspired some of the collaborator shared their interpretations with me.
and its different Interpretation Inspired some of the collaborator shared their interpretations with me.
Adetola Ayinde
A butterfly to me means freedom to soar while the unique colours on the wings shows us that we can be whatever we want to be.
Osinubi Adedamola
Style Coach @stylemeperfectly
The first thing that came to my mind when I was thinking on what the theme for the collection should be, was this phrase “like the rising from the ashes”.
And nothing explicitly express this than a butterfly.
Think about it, if you look at the life cycle of a butterfly, you’ll notice that for it to transform from one stage to another, something must die, something has to give way. First an egg is hatched, then a larva or caterpillar emerges from the egg. Then it grows to into a pupa and before you know it, a butterfly emerges from the pupa.
Butterflies are beautiful, colorful with eye-catching patterned wings. I like the way they can get my attention anywhere….anytime.
For me, our collection depicts transformation, hope, change, and rebirth. Another way I’ll put is, butterfly is a symbol of resurrection.
All around the world, people see the butterfly as a symbol change, hope, and new life.
I think for me, I would really love to stick to butterfly as a representation of resurrection.
I hope you fall in love this collection and always remember this phrase “like the rising from the ashes” everytime you see a butterfly.
.I really look forward to more collaborations with creatives in the fashion industry.
Mrs Ife Olumekun
The Illustrator
When I think of butterflies, I think all things bright and beautiful.
The life cycle of a butterfly reminds me of life, in that butterflies go through stages that are not pretty (larva, pupa) only to evolve into one of the most beautiful creatures ever….so also the human life is filled with the good, the bad and the ugly.
The butterfly is a reminder that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and the promise of the best of times ahead!
Aderonke Jaiyeola
Head of Design Team,
Mimiremi Textiles,
Lagos.
Every time I step out to a garden or green area, one of the first thing am searching for keenly is a butterfly. Butterflies are beautiful. Their fluffy, light weight movement, their colourful, pretty patterns, eye-catching wings, and the effortlessness with which they fly.
I can spend hours watching butterflies. It’s no coincidence that whenever I sit down to teach anyone how to draw, it is always a butterfly or a sunflower. The intricate patterns and colour blending on a butterfly is ever amazing.
When we were having series of meetings for this collection and everyone unanimously agreed we work with butterflies, I was excited. Butterflies are significant in our eco system. They help with pollination as they fly from one plant to another just like bees.
Recently, I was surprised to read that Texas has an annual butterfly festival where you can see over 400 species of butterflies . This contributes to the local economy, with tickets costing hundreds of dollars. That is phenomenal.
The butterflies on the clothings were hand drawn and hand printed with screens, stencils and eco-friendly ink by skilled women in our Lagos studio except the butterflies on the black dress.
The butterflies on the black dress was digitally hand drawn and digitally painted on my Wacom tablet. It was thereafter saved as a high-resolution digital image, printed on transfer paper and heat pressed on the dress. With Textile design, the possibilities are endless.
I look forward to more collaboration across the Nigerian Fashion Design Community.
I hope you enjoy the collection and take out time to admire butterflies when next you are outside.
Sending you a million virtual hugs and butterflies from the studio.
Anifat Ayomide
Head Tailor, Ibileclothiers
Basically, Butterfly is a flying insect with colourful wings that undergoes transformation.
Symbolically, butterflies are often associated with transformation, change, beauty and freedom. They also can represent personal growth and new beginnings.
Futhermore, The history of butterflies is intertwined with natural world and the human imagination, making them a subject of fascination and study for centuries.They also come in a wide variety of colors, patterns and sizes.
So, here’s wishing everyone of us Freedom, Good transformation and good new beginnings.
Arabinrin @arabinrin
Creative Director, Arabinrin Fashion Store
Surulere, Lagos
This particular shoot is so personal to me. Everything about Doyin Sonubi is personal to me, and so when we got on board for the collaboration and she asked us to share our thoughts on a theme, all I could think of was something to capture the selfless, loving, and phenomenal human she is.
Doyin is a “I-have-your-back” kind of person, a giver, and an authentic human who deserves everything beautiful. Therefore, the only word that came to mind was “PHOENIX” because time and again, she has constantly risen from and above everything and anything that was meant to crush her or burn her. God has kept her joy and carried her through it all… She ends up using these ashes as brown powder for makeup, just kidding.
Now, Imagine my joy and surprise when Damola mentioned same PHOENIX word. I believe that there are absolutely no coincidences with God, and He simply wants you to know that you are made for more, you are more, and you will definitely have more, even more than you deserve.