Deola Sagoe is one of the foremost icons and Lady of African fashion. She is the founder of the House of Deola Sagoe and is specifically based on Haute Couture Fashion sector.

Deola hails from Ondo State in Nigeria. She has been involved in revolutionary world of high fashion since the late 1980s. She became the first black woman to present a fashion collection at Rome’s illustrious fashion week known as AltaRoma in 2004. Her styles has won a worldwide appeal and this has earned her an enviable clientèle that ranges from Africa’s first ladies to society girls like Lydia Hearst, top model Alek Wek, and prominent personalities like Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith.

Deola is a mother of three. She studied at the University of Lagos and University of Miami and obtained her Masters in Finance and Management. She was selected as Nigeria’s representative to the UN’s World Food Program ‘Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food’ with the aim of raising funds to half the number of people in the world that are hunger stricken, especially kids by 2015. Deola regularly exhibits her couture collection at South Africa’s Cape Town Fashion Week and has been invited as guest to the New York Fashion Week.

Deola’s Startup and entrepreneurship Story

Deola’s clientele has grown extensively and today she has top models, top celebrities and renowned society figures in her lists of clients. Deola Sagoe, founder of haute couture fashion house Deola has become a successful entrepreneur that worth recognition as one of those that portrayed the Nigerian fashion with a good light in the international map.

Deola Sagoe was born into an entrepreneurial family. She is a child of the famous founders and owners of the Eilzade Group. The company was started by her father and late mother but which is currently managed by her brother. She got interested in the world of fashion while studying business administration at the University of Miami in Florida in mid 1980s.

When she graduated in 1987, she returned to Nigeria and did her Masters degree in Finance. Her father encouraged her to join the family business when she completed her studies. However, when it was time for her to return to the family business, her mother had by that time developed an undersized tailoring business of hers into a foremost fashion label in the country. The mother was mostly specialized in traditional embroidered menswear.

Deola opted to join her mother’s business and work on making these traditional designs more fashionable for the new marketplace. Nevertheless, her father still wanted her to work for the family group of companies even as continues with the fashion work.

Her fashion design works came into the limelight when she won the M/NET Anglo Gold African Designs Award, after being voted in by the leading US Vogue Editor, Andre Leon Tally. She got selected as one of four African fashion designers that their works are featured at New York Fashion Week in 2000.

She was particularly noticed for being the only designer that showcased her designs with relics of real African fabrics built-in into modern-day designs. This was how her haute couture business earned global recognition.

Her fashion collections have ever since then been exhibited round the globe at a number of the biggest and high-status events.

At the moment, Deola Sagoe has an enchanting fashion store and headquarters on Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria. The fashion house was completed in 2008 and includes her brand’s offices, production facilities and showrooms. She employed over twenty people to work with her on her exclusive runway collections and custom-made haute couture pieces for individual clients.

She has great attention to detail, reputation for excellence in fabric manufacture and design. These unique features coupled with a good understanding of the fabric and clothing needs of all her client’s every occasion, have consistently helped her to grow her loyal clientele to great and enviable standard.

Deola Sagoe is the embodiment of an African woman entrepreneur who, through uphill struggle and a good sense of style, trends and innovation, struggled to create an haute couture fashion domain that has made a worldwide impact. She is a leader and role model for African women aspiring to be fashion builders.

The “KEY” essence of Deola’s style

The key essence of Deola’s fashion style is the blend of African cultural style with a contemporary design approach. She is great at building vibrant modern styles with antique materials. This is mostly what gives her fashion collection a good cultural mix.

She went into fashion because it was somehow her life’s blood. Her words, perfectly showcased how much she was engrossed in passion for fashion when she said “I didn’t choose fashion, it chose me, … I think the only way I’ve managed is because I know fashion was my destiny. “

Her passion for fashion was much more than any difficulties that was on her way. The challenges rather than being an impediment to her was the key to her success and made her a better designer. This is a source of inspiration for prospective entrepreneurs no matter what ever field.

Instead of being limited by challenges, let them serve as a stepping stones to lead you to your glorious final destination. Today, through persistent struggles and determination, Dela Sagoe has been able to create a magnificent contemporary design and fashion collections that continue to enjoy global acclaim and clientele.


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Nice of her