The Founder

DEJI ENIOLA was founded in 2014 by Nigerian-born, self-taught designer and Creative Director, Ayodeji Osinulu; a man whose journey into fashion began long before the first garment ever carried his label.

 

 

After graduating with a degree in Geology in 2009, Ayodeji Osinulu dreamt of building a fashion house that would one day stand among the world’s finest. But with limited resources and no formal fashion education, the path ahead was steep. Aware that the odds of being hired as a designer were slim, he sought another way in, one that would keep him close to his passion.

He turned to fashion writing and styling, joining some of Nigeria’s most influential fashion publications at the time. It was a strategic move: if he couldn’t yet create the clothes, he would immerse himself in the industry’s heartbeat, learning from within. Guided by what he describes as a God-given instinct for form, silhouette, and colour, the elements that bring life to design, Ayodeji quickly found his work attracting attention.

Soon, he was styling cover shoots for some of Africa’s most celebrated cultural icons including Tu Face Idibia, Basketmouth, Burna Boy, MI Abaga, and The Chocolate City Crew, alongside Ghanaian stars Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Nelson, Christopher Attoh, and Van Vicker. These experiences became his creative training ground, sharpening his eye for detail and deepening his understanding of image, narrative, and style.

Ayodeji’s background in Geology also began to shape his design sensibility. He had long been fascinated by naturally occurring gemstones, their unique streaks, inherent beauty, and the extraordinary conditions under which they form. To him, these stones embodied the epitome of luxury: quiet, rare, and unpretentious. Over time, he began to incorporate their symbolism into his work, crafting pieces that reflect the same understated elegance and resilience found in nature’s most precious creations.

Travels to England introduced Ayodeji to the precision and heritage of British tailoring, a tradition that fascinated him as deeply as his African roots. The contrast between the structure and restraint of British craftsmanship and the vibrancy, symbolism, and soul of African artistry sparked a vision that would define his career. He saw the possibility of a bridge, a harmonious marriage of discipline and emotion, structure and spirit.

This philosophy crystallised into what he calls “suppressed elegance”, beauty that doesn’t scream for attention but “seeps from underneath,” revealing more the closer you look. Every DEJI ENIOLA piece is designed from the inside out, ensuring that substance matches surface, and that craftsmanship speaks louder than opulence.

In 2015, just a year after its founding, DEJI ENIOLA made its public debut at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week’s Fashion Focus Programme, presenting a 15-look collection that celebrated African identity and artistry while exploring Afropolitanism’s global influence. The showcase cemented DEJI ENIOLA’s place as a brand to watch, a new voice for cultural luxury emerging from Africa.

Over the years, the brand has evolved, yet its essence remains unchanged: a refined blend of timeless African artistry and British tailoring, informed by a deep appreciation for natural form, rarity, and authenticity. Today, DEJI ENIOLA stands as one of Africa’s foremost designer brands, dedicated to celebrating an opulent, modern African identity through a language of quiet sophistication and cultural pride.