desirÉe iyama

Growing up in a creative household gave Nigerian fashion designer Desirée Iyama a headstart on number of design skills including sketching, pattern cutting and creative direction. She burst onto the fashion scene in 2016 but after 17 months of running her business she took a two year hiatus to up skill on the business side of running a fashion business. During this break the designer also took time to rediscover her true self, which lead to a rebrand and relaunch of her namesake label into the version you see today. Catering to the woman who sees fashion as a vital expression of her everyday life, the brand offers contemporary clothing with bold yet romantic silhouettes that strike a softly, feminine note. Each piece is made in the brand’s Lagos studio, hand cut by Desirée herself and sewn by two in-house seamstresses. Desiree Iyama promotes the notion of slow fashion through an ethically sourced and manufactured process, wanting to contribute to the country’s circular economy. Fabrics are sourced from local suppliers and bought in limited quantities. All garments are handmade to order and leftover pieces are used to make face masks, headbands, scarves, and scrunchies.