Peixuan Yu on Using Interactive Storytelling to Decode Climate Science
June 19, 2025
2025 NY Digital Awards Announces Season 1 Winners: Celebrating Digital Creativity Across Design, Video, Web, and Mobile Excellence
June 20, 2025
Ayomide Adeyemo
Ayomide Adeyemo is the Creative Director of 54Folks. Her Graduating Collection: Gateway to Freedom draws inspiration from the story of Benkos Bioho, an enslaved hero from the late 1500s, and celebrates the rich history of the Cornrow hairstyle rooted in West African culture.
1 Congratulations on your achievements in the French Fashion Awards! Could you share a bit about your awarded design, yourself or your studio?
Thank you. My name is Ayomide Adeyemo, and I am the Creative Director of 54Folks. This design was my graduating collection for my Master’s degree in Fashion Design from the University for the Creative Arts.
2What’s the one piece in your portfolio that you feel best represents your ideas, and why?
I believe that every piece in my portfolio tells a unique story inspired by the core concept and creative idea behind it.
3What inspired you to pursue a career in fashion design, and what motivates your creative journey?
I have always been a fashion enthusiast, initially transitioning into fashion styling, then learning fashion design, and eventually pursuing my Master’s degree.
4What’s a day in your studio like—chaos, calm, or a bit of both?
A bit of both, as each workday brings new challenges and opportunities, making every day different and rewarding in its own way.
5If you had to describe your design philosophy in three words, what would they be?
African history, sustainability and modern fashion!
6What was the “aha” moment when you knew you had to submit your winning designs to the award?
It was during the photoshoots and styling that I realised exactly when I wanted to submit my designs.
7What’s a trend you wish would make a comeback—or disappear forever?
The trend of unethical fashion is something I genuinely hope fades away—it has no place in a thoughtful, responsible world.
8How do you balance artistic freedom with the commercial demands of the fashion industry?
I will study the demands of my target audience and incorporate them into my creative and artistic process, ensuring the final design meets their needs while also fulfilling our objectives.
9If you could collaborate with any designer or artist, past or present, who would it be, and what would you create?
Inane Ayissi has built a renowned brand with an aim that aligns with mine.
10What does success in fashion mean to you—fame, impact, legacy, or something else entirely?
Success in fashion, to me, means making a meaningful impact on the community while upholding and preserving heritage, culture, and history.
11How do you see fashion evolving over the next decade, and where do you see yourself in that position?
Fashion evolves every minute, especially in this digital age, and I see myself growing alongside this evolution.
12What’s the most surprising source of inspiration that has influenced your designs?
An African traditional hut structure.
13What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self as a designer, or those who are just starting out?
To stay true to their story.
14If you could shape your life’s work into a single message to share with the world, what would it be?
Be the custodian of your culture.
Winning Entry
Graduating Collection- GATEWAY TO FREEDOM | 2025 French Fashion Awards
Ayomide Adeyemo
Ayomide Adeyemo is the Creative Director of 54Folks. Her Graduating Collection: Gateway to Freedom draws inspiration from the story of Benkos Bioho, an enslaved hero from the late 1500s, and celebrates the rich history of the Cornrow hairstyle rooted in West African culture.
Explore the journey of Bonan Li, the Platinum Winner of the 2025 French Fashion Awards. An independent designer, she merges philosophy, sustainability, and art in experimental works like Poem Space, exploring women’s identity, body, and environment.
