Last September, when I met my daughter, watching her being birthed was an awesome experience. Watching her yawn for the first time felt magical. I didn’t fully understand what had just happened, so I took a walk.
I walked into Leicester city centre at midnight. I watched the city lights dim and the loud streets grow quiet, and in that moment it dawned on me that I had just brought a living spirit into this world. And for the time she was here, I was responsible for her. That reality changed me. I have come to terms with the fact that she was here for a short time, but her impact is bigger. She made me understand the word legacy.
The 17 year old me who left home to work as a teacher during the weekdays and a construction site labourer on weekends, because I sensed there was something greater out there, cannot believe how far I have come. And it dawned on me again that this is no longer just about me, not just about what I am passionate about, not just about my favourite suit or coming together for another style shoot. This is legacy. This is our lifetime.
I realised that the ancestors we all reference were once like us. The great figures we look up to were just like us. They had their challenges and battles, and within it all they etched their names into history. One day, the work we are doing together will be referenced by a generation we do not know. They will read our stories, study our work, and see how we interpreted style through dandism, sapeur, black ivy, and Sunday best. They will see our philanthropy, our mentorship, and how we chose to elevate one another.
So the question is, what do you want them to read about you? That you shrank, or that in the middle of economic crisis, cost of living, surviving a pandemic, the noise of war, childhood trauma, and self doubt, you rose above all of that. You showed up, and you showed up in style, not just for yourself but for your community.
As we say in Yoruba, Ọjọ́ tí o bá jí ni òwúrọ̀ rẹ, meaning when you wake up, that is your own dawn. And we are inviting you into that space, a new dawn, a moment to move with intentionality and depth. New Dawn means different things to each of us. It could be getting married, becoming a father, getting your first home, moving to a new country, starting that business, taking courage, or showing up for the first time at Elevate Your Style. Whatever it is, this is your invitation.
For me, this is the first time all my work through speaking, writing, community building, and fashion has come together into one collection. Every piece in this collection is designed to help you feel depth and to help you look back in a decade and remember this era of your life, the moment you chose intentionality. With green as the anchor, it is a reminder of balance, growth, and command.
Whether you are signing your first endorsement, graduating, hosting a book launch, attending an album listening party, or simply need a piece that reminds you of your roots, this collection is created to meet you in that moment.
Style has always been our entry point, but it was never the destination. This is about becoming more intentional, about how we gather, what we build, how we carry ourselves, and how we carry each other forward. Style will always be our entry point, but identity will always be the mission.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for believing that this is bigger than fashion. There is more ahead, and we will walk into it together.
When you are ready, step into your new dawn.
The collection is now live. This is your moment to choose intentionality.
0 comments