Oyinda Akinfenwa is our favourite twitter designer, who has a knack for making the most beautiful dresses that are so versatile that they can be worn in several different ways. You’d most likely know her by her username ‘onion-green.’ However, we at the 49th wanted to know much more about her.
Oyinda was born into a Christian family—Anglican to be precise—and she is the last child of four siblings. She’s from Oyo state, studied law at Afe Babalola university and is currently in law school in Nigeria. She was brought up in a house that was familiar with designing and clothes as her mum and grandma both ‘dealt’ in textiles and fabrics.
In terms of her own path into making clothes, Oyinda cites that she loves what she does and that it is a safe space for her. When she felt like there was nothing going for her, designing and making clothes helped her expand her creativity and personal style. She speaks about her craft being a way to style others, as well as an opportunity to be proud of herself when she sees people looking stunning in her alluring dresses.
However, it was not easy for her to begin and maintain the journey of designing and creating clothes. She faces several challenges, such as juggling schoolwork and her creative time. This implies not a lot of free time or freedom to make as many clothes as she’d like. The two most significant struggles for her were communication and patience. She is an introvert ant not exactly someone with patience. However, she realized that when dealing with customers and potential customers, going the extra mile to make sure they are happy, while being patient with them, was a huge struggle for her. Nonetheless, she is learning to be better and it is going great.
A quote from Oyinda: “What people wear matters a lot because it gives so much confidence and I want to play a part in ensuring people feel their best when they step out everyday.”
The style of Oyinda’s clothing is difficult to pinpoint as the dresses themselves can be worn in more than one way. You can go for a more sophisticated look, as well as a chill evening look with the same dress. What she is doing is revolutionary and unconventional. Her inspirations come from looking at other creations on different platforms, such as Pinterest and Instagram. She does not have a particular fashion favourite, instead, she appreciates every talented fashion designer; their work amazes her, and that amazement makes her want to exceed and further talents.
Oyinda does have a role model though and that special person is Nicki Minaj. Oyinda admires how hard Nicki has worked and pushed herself. She states that it’s easy to see her dedication and love for her craft. She praises Nicki for always rising above every bump, jab and attack while simultaneously breaking barriers with her talent, regardless of the backlash as well. Nicki is one of the people that amazes Oyinda, as well as makes her very happy.
Finally, the message she’d like to send to send to people is that there are numerous ways to achieve something. A design or material doesn’t have to be executed or used in one way; having fun with your styling and getting creative is the key. She doesn’t want people to box themselves into acceptability politics of designing or the use of fabrics. She states, “Just be unapologetic with your own uniqueness and creativity.”
We at the 49th love Oyinda’s work and are excited to see more from her! We wish her nothing but the best and we hope you go check her out! Her twitter is @just_oyinda.