By Olawunmi Aranmolate
From learning CorelDRAW in his mother’s print shop as a child to designing for globally recognized fashion labels, Dedejaé’s journey is a testament to raw talent, relentless curiosity, and an instinctive connection to culture. With roots deeply embedded in Lagos’ underground fashion and music scenes, he has steadily carved out a distinct creative identity, blending design, storytelling, and street culture into work that resonates far beyond borders.
In this interview, Dedejaé opens up about his evolution from graphic design to fashion, his organic connection with Slawn and the Motherlan crew, and what it means to create with both intention and intuition in today’s cultural landscape.
What first drew you to graphic design, and how did that evolve into working in fashion?
My earliest memories of Graphic design come from when I was about 8 or 9 years old. My mom was a talented fashion designer; however, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to run a print shop in our house. She always wanted me to be hands-on to learn what was going on in there, so she made me a mentor under one of her workers after school to learn how to use CorelDRAW.
When I was in year 9 or 10, Virgil Abloh started his first-ever line, ‘BEEN TRILL’. Seeing the designs then and how he was able to create cultural cohesion between the fashion and music industries opened my eyes to so much. I wanted to design my own clothes and T-shirts so badly. So, I started designing tees on my phone using a random app I found. From there, my passion for design grew so much deeper.
I started the exciting journey to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to make my own designs. My early days of design were organising pop-ups and running design collections for Traplanta & Home Delivery, two underground brands that were popping in Lagos from 2014-2017. From there, I knew I had a talent for design. Considering I was self-taught, I knew I had to expand my knowledge base and grow, so I got my first job as an Intern for Garmspot in 2017, which put me under a lot of good pressure and honed my skills to a different level.
Fast forwards three years later, as Marketing Graduate looking to find his feet and a set career choice, I take on the role as the Head Creative Director for XII Lagos from 2019- 2021, where I got to design a full collection for Lagos Fashion week and curate multiple collections, campaigns and fashion shows for the brand. I have always had a passion for fashion. I feel like it has always been in my DNA, but now it’s inevitable that I’m an active contributor to the culture and community.
How did your connection with Slawn and Motherlan come about? Was it a collaboration that happened naturally or something you pursued intentionally?
So I first met Slawn at one of the pop-ups I organised for Traplanta and a bunch of other brands called ‘Popped up’ in 2016, we gravitated to each other naturally cause we had so many things in common. What a Random coincidence that the name of his first brand was called ‘OffShuv’ and mine was called ’Offszn’, shit blew our minds but we were just kindred spirits.
I had been following Wafflesncrm for years before they moved from London to Nigeria to open the first-ever skate store in Africa. So when I found out he was working there as one of the skaters/designers, I started pulling up to the store just to hang out and talk about random ideas.
At that time, I watched Slawn, Onyedi, and Leonard grow a brotherly bond from just three guys working and skating at the store to creating a globally relevant brand from nothing but just an idea to dream bigger than what’s in front of you. Naturally, we all grew a friendship, from the ‘Vibes’ parties Wafflesncrm used to throw to impromptu sleepovers at Olaolu’s. The first time we ever worked together was in 2019, designing merchandise for Kida Kudz’s headline show.
All the boys eventually moved to London for university, while I stayed back in Lagos to work. We always kept in touch, regardless, until 2022. Onyedi reached out to me to help him work on some designs for Motherlan, which sold out immediately after we dropped them. At this point, I started considering moving to London to come and tap in properly with the boys. I eventually made the decision to spend five months in London in 2023, and since then, it’s been history.
What’s your creative process like when working on a new design or collection?
The way I see my mind is like a ship in a sea of open space, where I can decide to move in whichever axis I want. I can decide to go back, up, down, left, etc. I’m trying to say that I like to consider all possible scenarios for alternate versions a design could come out in. But I tend to follow my natural intuition and follow my gut when it comes to designs.
However, I am always open to constructive criticism as there’s no right or wrong way to design, but taste and intention are always the difference maker for a finished product or collection. Sometimes I use references to start my process, but I always have to find a way to make a design stand independently as its own thing, which is where I feel like my creative value lies.
What’s something people don’t realize about what goes into designing for a brand like Motherlan?
Most people don’t realise how much research and referencing go into designing. You always have to stay within the ethos and brand identity of the brand, and in this instance with Motherlan, I always have to work hand in hand with Onyedi the creative director of the brand to stay true to our roots as the first Skate crew out of Lagos , Nigeria.
Can you describe a moment you really felt proud of your work — a project or design that felt like a turning point for you?
I feel like the project that was a real turning point for me was working on the Off-White x Motherlan Collab design. It felt like a full circle moment for me, especially because Virgil Abloh was one of my main inspirations as a Designer.
What do you want people to feel or recognize when they see a piece you’ve worked on, whether they know you’re behind it or not?
I don’t expect much, but I just really want people to like the design. I always walk around different countries and randomly see people wearing my designs. Sometimes, I walk up to them to tell them that their Tee/fit is fire, just to hear their own story and perspective of the design without them knowing I even made it. I feel like sometimes I have to feel disconnected from the design to let it do its thing in the real world.
In one sentence, how would you define your creative mission right now?
I would say that I want to make as much global an impact through design as possible and inspire the next generation of designers to be constantly evolving problem solvers.
Dedejaé is designing clothes and shaping a narrative that celebrates identity, collaboration, and cultural pride. Whether it’s a sold-out drop with Motherlan or a chance encounter with someone wearing his work halfway across the world, his impact is rooted in authenticity and vision. With every stitch and sketch, he pushes boundaries and inspires a new wave of designers to dream big, stay grounded, and always lead with purpose.
