The Afro-Western splendour of O’Eclat!

BY OYINDAMOLA LAWAL

KNOWN for its exceptional stunning handcrafted accessories made of leather mixed with African prints and other materials, Oluwagbemisola Johnson, the chief executive officer of O’Eclat, a fashion outfit, is really making her mark in the industry.

    The Biologist has over the years used gorgeous African prints, leather and a plethora of others to showcase distinct and classy designs that range from bright bold clutches, totes bags, purses, wallets, belts, slippers to notebooks and giving each a contemporary edge.

    Johnson says her love for handcrafted African accessories was borne out of the urge to look for a challenging task and also to fill the gap of not finding an appropriate clutch size bag for an event.

   Determined to make her dream come to pass, the designer says, “I have been working with Manchester Trading Company for some years and wanted something challenging that could generate more income for me; so, I began to design bags after fruitless search for a bright coloured oversize clutch in the market."

   Satisfied that her dream would close the gap in the industry, Johnson went ahead to name her outfit O’Éclat — a name derived from the first letter of her name, Oluwagbemisola, which means, ‘Lord has uplifted me to fortune’ and Eclat (ey-klah), an English word for distinction.
   Johnson, who uses exotic leather and print cotton fabric such as tie-dye, ankara, aso-oke, informs that most of her materials, apart from the metal hardware imported from Europe and Asia, are sourced locally.

  With clients that cut across different age groups and classes, she mentions aesthetics, choice of materials and attention to details, as parts of what give her the cutting edge in the industry.

   “I draw inspiration from everywhere and everything around. I try as much as possible to interpret things around me into a design,” she says.

     Apart from fashion accessories, O’Eclat also produces home accessories such as magazine baskets, wall decors and notepads.

   The proprietress says she is taking her time to make her imprint fully felt. “We are taking one step at a time; right now, we're concentrating on bags, repairs and restoration.”