“My designs lend themselves to special occasions….”

Yemi Osunkoya is not just an emerging talent in the world of bridal design – Yemi Osunkoya has emerged!  With over two decades of crafting luxury couture bridal gowns and formal wear, Osunkoya has found his niche and his purpose. His handcrafted opulence has acquired recognition with some of the best bridal reviews and top tier clientele. With an articulateness in fine art and a major in textiles and design coupled with a  education from the Paris Academy of Fashion, Osunkoya is a master at his craft. The aforementioned was a compromise he made with his supportive parents as he just wanted to learn patternmaking and how to construct a garment from scratch. His determination and tenacity led to his own framework of “Kosibah,” a name given to a baby girl born on a Sunday in the Republic of Benin. He chose this after his mother to honor the nourishment and encouragement his parents gave his artistic pursuits.

To whom or what do you owe your inspiration for aspiring to design bridalwear? What made you choose this path?

As a young child, I was captivated by drawing; it was my special talent. I was very fortunate that my parents encouraged and nurtured it despite the fact they were both medical professionals, my dad a medical doctor and my mom a nurse. It all started with me drawing figures, particularly women figures. My parents were socialites and would also attend weddings, and upon returning home from an affair, I would draw what I had just observed and experienced. I would illustrate with such great detail that my mom was so proud, she would take my renderings to work and share with her colleagues. That is what sparked my interest as a young child. I did not know what design was as a concept, I just knew I could draw and I liked doing it. As I got older, I would refer to the encyclopedia for design references, which was before the internet. I became introduced to and was simply fascinated by Dior! I liked the idea that the dresses were exquisite and that there was a lot going on inside the dresses that made the outside look amazing. All this work goes into creating an external shell, but there is so much going on on the inside that nobody sees. I was absolutely fascinated by that! I attended school in London at the Paris Academy of Fashion where I learned old school couture techniques. My desire was to learn how to make a pattern and create a garment from scratch. The instructors were from Paris and the instruction was very intensive and geared towards couture as opposed to ready to wear. When I started my business, I did everything and very quickly realized it was not viable. I created menswear and casualwear in the beginning, but I found that menswear did not give me any joy and casualwear was not viable. I had put in too much effort and there just was no point. In a sort of organic way, I realized my designs lent themselves to special occasions. I make beautiful, grand gowns and naturally and organically, I started to specialize in bridal and eveningwear. My unique selling point is figure enhancement. My designs are constructed so that formal undergarments are not needed. I owe my inspiration to some very strong designers and was particularly encouraged by Bruce Oldfield and Patrick Kelly. They gave me the reassurance that as a Black man, you can design, succeed, and make clothes that will be appreciated by everybody.

How has the pandemic and COVID-19 affected your business?

The pandemic affected my business in a sort of paradoxical way. On the one hand, being based in New York, the lockdown was absolutely severe….and strict. At the beginning, New York being the epicenter, and everything was shutdown. Many brides postponed their weddings and there was no way we could get in touch with each other. In reflection, I realize it gave me an opportunity to pause and streamline my business, and solidify all the elements that make up my business. I was fortunate to have equipment in my home, so I took the time and opportunity to learn how to make face masks and selling them, then later partnered with violinist Kelly Hall Thompkins who founded Music Kitchen-Food for The Soul. She would take her brilliance with a band of musicians and play concerts in women’s shelters and places where most people would not have opportunity to attend the theatre. So, with each mask I sold, I made a matching mask and donated it to Kelly’s charity. She, in turn, delivered those masks to women’s shelters in New York. That made me feel good. It was an opportunity to give back. At the same time, I built and nurtured my network. Wedding planners, florists, photographers… people that I had known casually. I really took the time to shape those relationships. I had more time to do it because everyone was at home. I know when everything reopens, the relationships I have built over a period will certainly pay off.

If you could offer any words of wisdom or advice to an emerging bridalwear or formalwear designer- what would you share?

I would say to them: they are very lucky in the time they are starting their business and should not take it for granted because of the power of social media. With platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, the ability to have e-commerce and a website…having the ability to blog. You can build a tribe and a presence to promote what you’re doing….but..it’s very important that the product you’re producing is up to par! Its extremely vital. Even though fashion is an art and a craft, it is a business, and you must be able to sustain your business. Get trained. Explore an internship or mentorship. Be coachable. It will not be easy, but the results are so rewarding!

IG:@yemikosibah

WEB: www.kosibah.com