Designer talks growing up with ethnically diverse parents

diipo adeusi

March 2, 2016 7:36 AM

Lisa Folawiyo, is considered a giant of the Nigerian fashion industry. She launched Jewel By Lisa, back in 2005 and she hasn’t slowed down since. Pulse got to chat with the creative pioneer.

Lisa Folawiyo at Pulse TV

Lisa Folawiyo, is considered a giant of the Nigerian fashion industry. She launched her brand, Jewel By Lisa, back in 2005 and she hasn’t slowed down since. Pulse got to chat with the creative pioneer.

Folawiyo that mix traditional West African fabrics with modern tailoring and beaded embellishments. Over the years she has garnered international recognition for their work, including joining the Business of Fashion 500 (BoF) List for 2015.

The former lawyer, wife and mother of two has mastered the art of making traditional African prints appealing to not just Nigerians and Africans but the rest of the world. She has been present in the UK, the US, South Africa and Nigeria itself.

Pulse got to chat with the fashion designer and entrepreneur on her childhood and being raised by parents with diverse ethnicities:

What most people may not know is that Lisa Folawiyo’s father is Nigerian from Ogbomosho, Oyo state but her mom is from the Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobego and she had mixed cultural influences growing up.

She disclosed to pulse that she and her siblings were not opportuned to learn Yoruba because her mom didn’t understand it and so her dad decided not to speak the language at all. She, however, considers it important to learn your native dialect.

In closing she explained her childhood as normal, as her “mom brought a bit of her Caribbean ways and balanced that with my dad’s Nigerian ways.”

For more of the interview, watch the snippet below and share your thoughts.

diipo adeusi