INTERVIEW: KOSIBAH : King Of Bridal Wear
Hello everyone,it's that time again...Interview time and for your reading pleasure,
we have got the man behind "Kosibah Creations" -- Yemi Osunkoya!!!
Yemi "Kosibah" Osunkoya is a bridal couture, evening and formal daywear designer whose designs are known for accentuating the female form,creating a beautiful hour-glass silhouette for anyone who wears his outfits.His work has won him many awards including "Fashion Personality of the Year 2000", "Designer of the Year 2002" at the Mahogany Wedding Award, and "The Highly Commended Award" at the National Wedding Show 2002 where he was the only black designer showcasing his collections.
He has dressed stars such as Alesha Dixon lead singer of the now defunct "Mis-Teeq",BBC's Angela Griffen, Sheila Ferguson of "Three Degrees" and Helen Fraser of ITV's "Bad Girls" to name a few. Let's not bore you with all our witterings,read on for the interview!!!
Naija Vixen: Can you give us a little bit about your personal background? What kind of family unit did you grow up in and how it was growing up?
Yemi Osunkoya: I am the third of four boys born to my parents, the late Professor Babatunde Olusiji Osunkoya and Mrs. Beryl Cosiba Osunkoya. I had a very happy childhood spent in the relative tranquillity of the University of Ibadan campus where we lived, as my father worked at the University College Hospital. I attended primary school at the senior staff school, University of Ibadan where my interest and talent for drawing was nurtured and encouraged. I went on to attend International school Ibadan where I obtained my O Levels.
Naija Vixen: Before the birthing of the "Kosibah" line, what were you into fashion
wise? And how did you come about the name?
Yemi Osunkoya: From a very early age, I had been making very detailed drawings of human figures. I would be taken to weddings by my parents and on my return I would create detailed drawings of the entire bridal train (even down to the ‘bump’ in the stomach of the bride in some cases!). I guess this is where the seed of my passion for Bridalwear was sown. I was encouraged greatly by my parents, especially by my mother who would take my latest artistic efforts to show her colleagues in the Midwifery Department in the University Hospital. It is the love, firm belief in me and unshaken support given to me by my mother that shaped my decision to name my label after her as a tribute. Cosiba is the Day Name given to a girl born on a Sunday in the Republic of Benin, where my mother’s family originally comes from. I changed the spelling to Kosibah.
Naija Vixen: How did you get into fashion design?
Yemi Osunkoya: After a year of A-Levels, I decided to pursue a career in Fashion Design. I was very fortunate to have forward thinking parents who supported this decision, but insisted I took a University Degree first before going on to study fashion. I was admitted to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (then known as University of Ife) under the J.A.M.B. scheme where I later obtained a BA Degree in Fine Art, majoring in Textile Design. While I was there, I started designing outfits for friends and family, using local tailors to make up the designs and even staged fashion shows on Campus. It was in my first year at O.A.U. that I met Adebayo Jones, who was already a student there and we have been very good friends since then.
Naija Vixen: Were there any celebrity or fashion trends/inspirations that helped your
creative visions begin?
Yemi Osunkoya: My creative vision was greatly inspired by the über glamorous Diana Ross, of whom I’ve always been a great fan. That’s why my gowns have a very glamorous and ‘Red Carpet’ slant to them.
NV: When was the Kosibah brand officially created and what were some of the
first moves made? Was there any schooling or self-training involved in the process of you getting Kosibah Clothing launched?
Yemi Osunkoya:I later came to the UK and studied Fashion Design at the Paris Academy School of Fashion, Oxford Street, London, where I obtained “A” grade Diplomas in Couture Women and Menswear.
I completed my courses in the early nineties during the height of the recession. As no Design Houses were clamouring to hire me, despite scores of letters sent out, I decided with the generous input of cash from my mother, to set up Kosibah Creations officially in September 1991 from premises in a converted warehouse off the Gray’s Inn Road, W1. Leading up to my official start date, I went on a Government sponsored course in Business Planning, Marketing, Taxation, PR etc. and this was very helpful in emphasizing the business and administrative aspect of running a fashion Label.
NV: Many people think brands are overnight successes which are almost never the
case. What were some of the doubts and struggles you had, that you look back and probably could have avoided possibly?
Yemi Osunkoya: The fact that I set up Kosibah Creations without any bank loan or financial backer (aside from my mother) and without previously working for any designer, meant that the early years were extremely challenging and I would probably advise any young designers planning to go into the industry to do it differently. That’s one of the reasons I have been giving work placements to fashion students for years to show them the realities of the industry while still studying or just after graduating where they face the chicken and egg situation of no one hiring them because they have no experience and unable to gain experience because no one wants to hire them! But focus, determination to succeed, hard work and most importantly my love for creating figure enhancing gowns that play such a significant part of a woman’s special day kept me going during the difficult times.
NV: What was your big breakthrough?
Yemi Osunkoya: After a few years of designing both Women and Menswear, I came to the conclusion that I did not find Menswear artistically challenging and at the same time, I realized my designs were more suited to Bridal and eveningwear because of the time-consuming Couture techniques I used in their creation. In 2000, I was commissioned by the Drama Department of the BBC to design and create a bridal gown to be worn by the British actress Angela Griffin for the mini-series “Baby Father” later aired in October 2001. That same year, I dressed 3 cast members of the ITV series Bad Girls for the National Television Awards where the show won best Drama Series and the whole cast went on stage to accept the award.
NV: You are mainly into Bridal couture, formal daywear and evening dresses...but
would you ever consider branching out into say, casual wear?
Yemi Osunkoya: I believe very strongly in identifying an area of expertise and sticking to it and doing it extremely well. I have established my reputation in Couture Bridal and Eveningwear and therefore I have no plans to branch out to casual wear. I intend however to explore the possibility of designing accessories such as shoes, bags, jewellery etc. under the Kosibah Creations label, but made by experts in those fields.
NV: Who would you like to dress that you haven't yet?
Yemi Osunkoya: Gosh! There are quite a few and they sometimes change, but I’d love to dress Oprah Winfrey. Her figure very much suits my designs which are aimed at women with curves, a strong sense of style and an appreciation of the amount of work that goes into making a Couture gown, and of course the exposure would be priceless.
NV: I know that your business keeps you on the move, so where are your favourite places to travel to? What's the most historically interesting place you've been to?
Yemi Osunkoya: If I had to choose then I’d have to say Egypt, where I visited Luxor and Cairo. I saw the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings. It was very difficult to comprehend that you were standing next to and in some cases touching things that were thousands and thousands years old.
NV: If you were not a designer, you would be a...?
Yemi Osunkoya: If I were not a fashion designer (though I find that almost impossible to imagine because I’ve known what I’ve wanted to do from such an early age), I guess I’d be a fashion stylist because I have a very clear vision about how a whole look can be put together from head to toe, or a Fashion Illustrator.(boring, but the truth).
NV: Splurged first pay cheque on...?
Yemi Osunkoya: So long ago, I can hardly remember, but most likely shoes as they are my weakness.
NV: Currently Reading...?
Yemi Osunkoya: ‘A day late, A Dollar short’ by Terry Macmillan. I’ve read ‘Waiting to exhale’ and ‘How Stella got her groove back’ both which I very much enjoyed.
NV: Muse...?
Yemi Osunkoya: Again this tends to change, but at the moment I’d say Halle Berry.
NV: Who is your favourite designer, living or dead?
Yemi Osunkoya: Anthony Price – In the 70’s and 80’s he was the master of sculpting the body with his use of internal corsetry in gowns.
NV: When is your next show coming up and where will it be showcased?
Yemi Osunkoya: I’m participating in the Mahogany Bridal Show this Sunday (March 25th) at the Barbican Exhibition Centre. My gowns will be on the Catwalk and I’ll also have a stand. After that, my next show is the Black & White Fashion Show in Slovenia in May on the invitation of the Slovenian/ Nigerian Association and the Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary.
Naija Vixen: It is well appreciated you took the time to do this interview, Yemi, is there
any message you would like to deliver to the on-line readers?
Yemi Osunkoya: I’d like to thank anyone that took the time to send in questions. To any Brides-to-be in Nigeria, I intend to be visiting Lagos at regular intervals where I would be able to have consultations and take orders for Bridal gowns and also do toile fittings (the brides would have to visit the UK to try on and collect the final garment). I will be in Lagos in April from the 23rd till the 30th. Consultations would be by appointment and you can contact me through my website.
Naija Vixen: Good luck with all your future endeavours...you deserve it!!!
Yemi Osunkoya: Thank you Naijavixen and keep up your excellent Blog.
**Much thanks n Love 2 Kosibah 4 takin his time out 4 this...n to all y'all reading this......hav a fab week!!**
we have got the man behind "Kosibah Creations" -- Yemi Osunkoya!!!
Yemi "Kosibah" Osunkoya is a bridal couture, evening and formal daywear designer whose designs are known for accentuating the female form,creating a beautiful hour-glass silhouette for anyone who wears his outfits.His work has won him many awards including "Fashion Personality of the Year 2000", "Designer of the Year 2002" at the Mahogany Wedding Award, and "The Highly Commended Award" at the National Wedding Show 2002 where he was the only black designer showcasing his collections.
He has dressed stars such as Alesha Dixon lead singer of the now defunct "Mis-Teeq",BBC's Angela Griffen, Sheila Ferguson of "Three Degrees" and Helen Fraser of ITV's "Bad Girls" to name a few. Let's not bore you with all our witterings,read on for the interview!!!
Naija Vixen: Can you give us a little bit about your personal background? What kind of family unit did you grow up in and how it was growing up?
Yemi Osunkoya: I am the third of four boys born to my parents, the late Professor Babatunde Olusiji Osunkoya and Mrs. Beryl Cosiba Osunkoya. I had a very happy childhood spent in the relative tranquillity of the University of Ibadan campus where we lived, as my father worked at the University College Hospital. I attended primary school at the senior staff school, University of Ibadan where my interest and talent for drawing was nurtured and encouraged. I went on to attend International school Ibadan where I obtained my O Levels.
Naija Vixen: Before the birthing of the "Kosibah" line, what were you into fashion
wise? And how did you come about the name?
Yemi Osunkoya: From a very early age, I had been making very detailed drawings of human figures. I would be taken to weddings by my parents and on my return I would create detailed drawings of the entire bridal train (even down to the ‘bump’ in the stomach of the bride in some cases!). I guess this is where the seed of my passion for Bridalwear was sown. I was encouraged greatly by my parents, especially by my mother who would take my latest artistic efforts to show her colleagues in the Midwifery Department in the University Hospital. It is the love, firm belief in me and unshaken support given to me by my mother that shaped my decision to name my label after her as a tribute. Cosiba is the Day Name given to a girl born on a Sunday in the Republic of Benin, where my mother’s family originally comes from. I changed the spelling to Kosibah.
Naija Vixen: How did you get into fashion design?
Yemi Osunkoya: After a year of A-Levels, I decided to pursue a career in Fashion Design. I was very fortunate to have forward thinking parents who supported this decision, but insisted I took a University Degree first before going on to study fashion. I was admitted to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (then known as University of Ife) under the J.A.M.B. scheme where I later obtained a BA Degree in Fine Art, majoring in Textile Design. While I was there, I started designing outfits for friends and family, using local tailors to make up the designs and even staged fashion shows on Campus. It was in my first year at O.A.U. that I met Adebayo Jones, who was already a student there and we have been very good friends since then.
Naija Vixen: Were there any celebrity or fashion trends/inspirations that helped your
creative visions begin?
Yemi Osunkoya: My creative vision was greatly inspired by the über glamorous Diana Ross, of whom I’ve always been a great fan. That’s why my gowns have a very glamorous and ‘Red Carpet’ slant to them.
NV: When was the Kosibah brand officially created and what were some of the
first moves made? Was there any schooling or self-training involved in the process of you getting Kosibah Clothing launched?
Yemi Osunkoya:I later came to the UK and studied Fashion Design at the Paris Academy School of Fashion, Oxford Street, London, where I obtained “A” grade Diplomas in Couture Women and Menswear.
I completed my courses in the early nineties during the height of the recession. As no Design Houses were clamouring to hire me, despite scores of letters sent out, I decided with the generous input of cash from my mother, to set up Kosibah Creations officially in September 1991 from premises in a converted warehouse off the Gray’s Inn Road, W1. Leading up to my official start date, I went on a Government sponsored course in Business Planning, Marketing, Taxation, PR etc. and this was very helpful in emphasizing the business and administrative aspect of running a fashion Label.
NV: Many people think brands are overnight successes which are almost never the
case. What were some of the doubts and struggles you had, that you look back and probably could have avoided possibly?
Yemi Osunkoya: The fact that I set up Kosibah Creations without any bank loan or financial backer (aside from my mother) and without previously working for any designer, meant that the early years were extremely challenging and I would probably advise any young designers planning to go into the industry to do it differently. That’s one of the reasons I have been giving work placements to fashion students for years to show them the realities of the industry while still studying or just after graduating where they face the chicken and egg situation of no one hiring them because they have no experience and unable to gain experience because no one wants to hire them! But focus, determination to succeed, hard work and most importantly my love for creating figure enhancing gowns that play such a significant part of a woman’s special day kept me going during the difficult times.
NV: What was your big breakthrough?
Yemi Osunkoya: After a few years of designing both Women and Menswear, I came to the conclusion that I did not find Menswear artistically challenging and at the same time, I realized my designs were more suited to Bridal and eveningwear because of the time-consuming Couture techniques I used in their creation. In 2000, I was commissioned by the Drama Department of the BBC to design and create a bridal gown to be worn by the British actress Angela Griffin for the mini-series “Baby Father” later aired in October 2001. That same year, I dressed 3 cast members of the ITV series Bad Girls for the National Television Awards where the show won best Drama Series and the whole cast went on stage to accept the award.
NV: You are mainly into Bridal couture, formal daywear and evening dresses...but
would you ever consider branching out into say, casual wear?
Yemi Osunkoya: I believe very strongly in identifying an area of expertise and sticking to it and doing it extremely well. I have established my reputation in Couture Bridal and Eveningwear and therefore I have no plans to branch out to casual wear. I intend however to explore the possibility of designing accessories such as shoes, bags, jewellery etc. under the Kosibah Creations label, but made by experts in those fields.
NV: Who would you like to dress that you haven't yet?
Yemi Osunkoya: Gosh! There are quite a few and they sometimes change, but I’d love to dress Oprah Winfrey. Her figure very much suits my designs which are aimed at women with curves, a strong sense of style and an appreciation of the amount of work that goes into making a Couture gown, and of course the exposure would be priceless.
NV: I know that your business keeps you on the move, so where are your favourite places to travel to? What's the most historically interesting place you've been to?
Yemi Osunkoya: If I had to choose then I’d have to say Egypt, where I visited Luxor and Cairo. I saw the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings. It was very difficult to comprehend that you were standing next to and in some cases touching things that were thousands and thousands years old.
NV: If you were not a designer, you would be a...?
Yemi Osunkoya: If I were not a fashion designer (though I find that almost impossible to imagine because I’ve known what I’ve wanted to do from such an early age), I guess I’d be a fashion stylist because I have a very clear vision about how a whole look can be put together from head to toe, or a Fashion Illustrator.(boring, but the truth).
NV: Splurged first pay cheque on...?
Yemi Osunkoya: So long ago, I can hardly remember, but most likely shoes as they are my weakness.
NV: Currently Reading...?
Yemi Osunkoya: ‘A day late, A Dollar short’ by Terry Macmillan. I’ve read ‘Waiting to exhale’ and ‘How Stella got her groove back’ both which I very much enjoyed.
NV: Muse...?
Yemi Osunkoya: Again this tends to change, but at the moment I’d say Halle Berry.
NV: Who is your favourite designer, living or dead?
Yemi Osunkoya: Anthony Price – In the 70’s and 80’s he was the master of sculpting the body with his use of internal corsetry in gowns.
NV: When is your next show coming up and where will it be showcased?
Yemi Osunkoya: I’m participating in the Mahogany Bridal Show this Sunday (March 25th) at the Barbican Exhibition Centre. My gowns will be on the Catwalk and I’ll also have a stand. After that, my next show is the Black & White Fashion Show in Slovenia in May on the invitation of the Slovenian/ Nigerian Association and the Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary.
Naija Vixen: It is well appreciated you took the time to do this interview, Yemi, is there
any message you would like to deliver to the on-line readers?
Yemi Osunkoya: I’d like to thank anyone that took the time to send in questions. To any Brides-to-be in Nigeria, I intend to be visiting Lagos at regular intervals where I would be able to have consultations and take orders for Bridal gowns and also do toile fittings (the brides would have to visit the UK to try on and collect the final garment). I will be in Lagos in April from the 23rd till the 30th. Consultations would be by appointment and you can contact me through my website.
Naija Vixen: Good luck with all your future endeavours...you deserve it!!!
Yemi Osunkoya: Thank you Naijavixen and keep up your excellent Blog.
**Much thanks n Love 2 Kosibah 4 takin his time out 4 this...n to all y'all reading this......hav a fab week!!**
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