#QandAfrica with Eki Orleans- Smooth as Silk!

 

 

Hazel Eki Aggrey-Orleans is the creative force behind the high-end London-based fashion-label Eki Orleans. Born in Germany, raised in Nigeria and educated in London, her design aesthetic has been strongly influenced by this diverse mix of cultures. She draws inspiration from all of her cultural experiences, most notably, however, from her West African heritage. Growing up in the buzzing, chaotic and culturally diverse city of Lagos, Hazel first developed a love for the vivid and earthy colours of Africa.

While still pursuing a career in Finance, she decided to follow her vocation and natural aptitude for textile and fashion design. Combining both artistic skills she launched her first fashion collection with her own fabric designs in 2009.

It is her outstanding and unusual talent for perfectly co-ordinated pattern and colour combinations that ultimately determines the styling of her day and evening dresses and co-ordinates. Where other fashion designers find fabrics to suit their visions of a dress, Hazel decides on the dress to suit her vision of a fabric design.

For inspiration and choice of subject the designer inevitably resorts back to her African roots. Her patterns tell stories reminiscent of childhood memories or are an interpretation of nature through her eyes.

“I naturally have a close bond to African culture and having travelled around the world, has led me to combine both my African roots with the rich cultural encounters I came across in my travels. this combination of both cultures has formed the basis of my collection. iIam passionate about mixing and matching colours and I love nothing more than to make a stunning entrance. my collection accentuates the feminine, the brave and the sexy within all of us and it’s my mission to bring out the colourful goddess in every woman.”

 

1: Why is your brand, product, or service important to consumers’ lives?

Our brand is known for narrating African stories on luxurious silks. Silk is a natural fabric which glides on the body and our bold prints naturally transform you into an Eki girl – meaning ‘center of attraction’.

 

 

We always try to be a step ahead with innovation. Designing African prints on silks is a new concept especially within Africa, where all we grew up with were cottons and so coming up with this idea which we played around and executed, was new. Another design project we are currently introducing into the market, is the design of bespoke prints for bridesmaids. Weddings are always about brides and so we decided to flip things around and offer prints for bridesmaids. It is a modern take on bridesmaids, using African inspired Eki prints.

 

And lastly, sustainability is key to our business. I have a passion for nature and so it is so important to me to conduct an environmentally friendly business. We only work with natural fibers (silk). We print digitally, rather than litho, which creates less water wastage. We also produce all our garments in a London studio which already practices sustainability.

 

 

I would say definitely our prints are what have always drawn in our clients. You won’t be able to find our prints anywhere else. We also thrive in offering a good after sales service, as I strongly believe customer service should not end once a product has been bought. We have built a reputation around being a reliable brand with good quality garments and good customer service.

 

For more information: www.ekiorleans.com

 

Adiree¦ A.S