SPEAKER - IFEOMA C. O ONYIA

From the simple lines of the cuts to the more intricate designs of the culture-rich innovative fabrics, Clyopatra harnesses her creative mind to bring us this new world where the Motherland meets the West to create an infusion of elegance, sophistication, beauty and authenticity. Having lived all her life shuttling between three Continents, Nigerian born, Maryland based Ifeoma C. Onyia, Designer/Creative director, has taken advantage of her experiences and love of fashion into relaunching her fashion business; hence, the birth of CLyopatra Couture. Ifeoma C. Onyia, fresh out of college opened her first fashion line in London UK and later began the first Afrocentric Bridal exhibition which later won her an award – Keeper of Heritage, from Essence Magazine; an award that was presented to her by Susan Taylor.

Launching Clyopatra Couture is to push the envelope again, to take African fabrics and arts to a whole other level as a marriage of the three continents Ifeoma C. loves so much: “I believe that fashion comes from the heart, either you have it or you don’t; and if you do, you will always try to push the limit. After all, if we can assimilate into our adopted land, why can’t we infuse our old culture to our new one?”

With the knowledge that African climate is generally the same; unlike the Western world where we have spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Which is why  the African fabric textures are basically different variations of Cotton; Ifeoma C. decided to launch Clyopatra Couture to give folks outside the Continent the opportunity to wear the African prints that everyone loves so much regardless of the season. Combining African fabrics with Denim jeans, recreating the Aso-Oke , Isi Agu, Kente fabrics into Lycra, Chiffon, Cotton Jersey, Polyester, silk mix to name but a few, making it possible for you to go from working out to the pool and to an elegant evening function still repping your heritage ensembles.

It’s first debut collection ‘The Sheba Collection by Clyopatra Couture is simply “Fashion without borders”!! says Ifeoma C.

As a child Ifeoma always had an eye for fashion, being the last child out of 8 kids, she was always the one who sat in her mom’s bedroom as she got dressed. Who helped her to tie her head wrap, watching her as she sat and worked with her sewing machine, always trying to re style her mother’s entire wardrobe! Moving to London England as a teenager, Ifeoma C immediately delved into the fashion world from modeling in the renowned fashion street - Sloane Street to becoming a cosmetic consultant before finally doing what she loves to do best.. fashion designing. A dream that she has now re launched in the USA.

In 2019, Ifeoma C. Onyia launched two projects that have always been on her mind in her quest to unite and educate folks in the fashion industry. DMV Fashion Week, a bi- annual fashion week with an aim to bring back fashion back to the DMV area and to create a worldwide even platform for designers and shows in DC, Maryland and Virginia. Her Foundation House of Clyopatra also gave birth to Junior Bosses of Fashion (JBF) which she established in Memory of her Father and Brother who believed so much in educating the young minds, the believe is that it’s never too early for our youths to learn the fundamentals of business management.

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