When we at Holloway Express found out that fashionista Ola Akinlade, 24, was going to be at 10 Gales Market Place, in Bethnal Green, we jumped at the opportunity to grab her attention while she browsed through the gorgeous vintage fashion boutique. Giving us her tips on trends to look out for this season and also informing us on her upcoming projects she has instore in North London, we can surely say, this lady is all about the business of fashion and so much more.
Holloway Express: What did you study in Hertfordshire?
Ola: While in Herfordshire I studied for a BA placement degree in Marketing with Public Relations.
HE: When did you study fashion PR and why?
Ola: When I first started university, I studied Marketing with Spanish. At this point I was unsure of what I wanted to do as a career. After watching the movie Two Can Play That Game starring Vivica Fox, the way that she portrayed the career of a marketer made me really want to be one! During the summer holiday, after my first year, I began to do an extensive amount of research on careers in marketing. I then came across the position of Fashion Marketer. I researched it, prayed about it, watched videos on it and eventually felt confident that Fashion Marketing was for me. It was almost like I received an epiphany, as corny as that sounds. I created a fashion folder which was 100 pages long! It enabled me to build up knowledge on the role, the route to attain the position and various other details. I had only ever worked in fashion retail, never the business side, so I felt like I had so much to learn.
My fashion marketing work experience led me to fashion PR as there is a very thin line between the two. This resulted in me attaining various experience in fashion PR. I then decided to do it as part of my degree. I thoroughly enjoyed my degree in Marketing with PR at Hertfordshire, and I love working in fashion PR even more.
HE: Which fashion trends inspire you?
Ola: Right now, I am really enjoying the 90s box braids. I have them really long right now, past my bum! It is the look the Cleopatra girls had, and Janet Jackson was rocking it in the movie “Poetic Justice”. I am normally a weave girl, so I am thoroughly enjoying the change. I am [also] a massive lover of insane high heels. The higher, the crazier, the better for me. I love statement shoes. Right now, Jeffrey Campbell is feeding my shoe addiction.
HE: What is your organisation about and when did you create it?
Ola: Fashion Workroom is a non-profit organisation that focuses on inspiring and motivating people through fashion. We attain this through various means: promoting fashion internships, school talks, connexions workshops, our blog. My aim is to let people understand that it is possible to attain all that you dream about. I am in the process of attaining my dreams right now.
HE: What was it like studying in Hertfordshire and at London’s College of Fashion?
Ola: Studying at Hertfordshire really moulded me business-wise. Before attending university I never considered myself a business-minded person. I was more into languages, arts, drama, more creative stuff. At university, I met people who changed my mindset completely. I am now more business-minded than I could ever have imagined. Nathan Ghann, who did the university tour of “How On Earth Do I Get A First?”, is one of my best friends. He also created the university website Find My House. Tobi Ali-Usman was an employee of the University of Hertfordshire (UH) angels and we all worked together to found the university’s first ever entrepreneurial society. Having these business-minded people around me all the time definitely rubbed off on me. UH also thoroughly promotes and nurtures entrepreneurship. That is an edge that I pride UH on.
London College of Fashion (LCF) was my first step in pursuing a career in fashion. As a student of Hertfordshire University, I believed the students of LCF had an advantage over me, purely because they attended a credible fashion business university. I wanted the university on my CV and began studying a Fashion Marketing course there. I achieved this while also attending university in Hertfordshire. LCF only required me to come in 1 day a week for 3 months.
LCF built on my fashion knowledge. It allowed me to express myself creatively. It also introduced me to people who had careers in fashion. I studied with a lady who worked at Chanel and another lady who was working for Net-A-Porter. It confirmed that a career in fashion communications was undoubtedly what I wanted to do.
HE: What project are you currently involved with?
Ola: Currently, we are confirming final details before we begin working with a school in North London. We are also reconstructing our blog and working on the implementation of tons of projects which will be executed throughout the year. I am very excited! Watch out for us.
HE: What is the best advice you have received and what advice can you give to someone who wants to enter the fashion industry?
Ola: Never take anything personally. These were the the words I told myself after dealing with some horrible people when I was interning. I decided that day that it wasn’t about me and that some people had issues at home that caused them to not be nice people. I have yet to be offended since.
I would [also] advise someone to research the job role and what it requires.
Work Experience! Work Experience! Work Experience!
Network.
Make long term and short term goals. Be proactive.
HE: What are the benefits of your job?
Ola: I do what I love. It is something I would do for free. There is a quote that goes: “Do a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”. I believe this.
Meeting new people everyday and always having the chance to build great relationships.
Attending Fashion Week and fashion parties.
Working with a great team.
HE: What are your hopes for the future of your organisation?
Ola: To change mindsets, motivate lives and be a commercial brand.
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