Atoke Atelier Fashion: A fusion of art, culture and passion

Rarity is unveiled in different forms, but the one that resonates the most is that it expresses a person, situation or art, as distinct and in excellent form.

Such quality and the characteristics that bring it to the fore are what describe Funmilola Oluwajuwonlo, the founder and creative director of Atoke Atelier. Compellingly, it is also what describes her brand, as she has breathed unto it the same passion and commitment that have aided her development as an artist and fashion designer.

The brand, Atoke Atelier, isn’t just one like many; it is first among equals. With Funmilola’s creativity, business acumen, and brand structuring skills being manifested to the maximum, Atoke Atelier has developed from just a fashion design space into a fashion brand that embodies culture, style, art and lifestyle.

With a stringent focus on shifting grounds to change the status quo, Funmilola through Atoke Atelier, has over the course of almost a decade emerged as one of Abeokuta’s biggest fashion designers, and one of Nigeria’s most iconic fashion brands.

Funmilola’s Afro-centric fashion approach caters to women in all walks of life – official, glamour, and runway. Her variety of designs is reflective of the qualities of a creative sketch designer, skilled tailor and culturally oriented personality. Her intuitive and organized approach to designing has helped her find inspiration in the very essence of Abeokuta’s heritage. In an interview, Funmilola described the traditional fabric ‘adire’ as one of her many inspirations, especially because of the way the patterns evolve and the colour mediates with the skin.

She said: “I want to make wears that are trendy yet resonate with all my clients. Most fashion trends are throwbacks or recreated, Africa’s wealth in culture and history, as seen in Abeokuta here, has helped framed my mind to craft designs that appeal to the fashionable woman; yet tells a story. It is not the price of a fabric that brings about elegance; it is what one creates from it. That’s what spurs me on, the desire for Atoke Atelier to make clothes that rank among the best yet gives more in diversity.”

Atoke Ateliers has also designed wears for celebrities for red carpet purposes and participated in a few of Nigeria’s biggest fashion exhibitions, including Naija Brand Chic Tradefair sponsored by Access Bank. The brand was also present at the Lagos Fashion Week fair held in September 2022, as one of the few designers shortlisted to showcase their works and designs.

In recent years, with her leadership at Atoke Ateliers, Funmilola has walked away with awards and recognitions that highlight her influence on fashion in Ogun State, and her versatility as a creative designer. She planned, executed and headlined the Atoke Atelier Fashion Runway Show that took place in Ogun State recently. It was an event created to give emerging designers a platform to showcase their works, while also having some of Nigeria’s top models and pageant winners walk the runaway in her own (Funmi’s) designs as the CEO/Creative Director of Atoke Ateliers.

The event also saw Funmilola partner with brands like Tamberma, PublicFace magazine, and other media outfits. The show recorded the highest turnout for a fashion event in Ogun State in the last decade, having fashion enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds in attendance.

Fashion industry giants have regarded Funmilola as a top professional with fresh ideas and intense foresight, and her brand is earmarked as one of the fashion brands with the prospect of making great exploits and exports abroad.