FEMALE MOTIVATOR OF THE WEEK-LISA FOLAWIYO.CREATIVE DIRECTOR, JEWEL BY LISA!

Jewel by Lisa is a multi-faceted global womenswear and accessories collection.

Designer Lisa Folawiyo perfected the art of wearing Ankara (local West African fabric) through the use of ornate embellishment; Jewel by Lisa changed the face of the fabric, creating a global print and turning the label into a coveted luxury brand.

Incorporating texture with this culturally established tradition has been the key to Jewel by Lisa’s success, creating a conceptual and global design hybrid.

Fused with its very own custom luxury prints, Jewel by Lisa masterly delivers contemporary garments.

With a strong eye for tailoring and fit, Folawiyo creates feminine silhouettes with nods to traditional African aesthetics.

Each Jewel by Lisa garment boasts a handcrafted and unique history from inception to construction.

 Folawiyoʼs expert beading craftsmen hand embellish each Jewel by Lisa piece, on average a 120—hour process that reflects the brand’s focus on design integrity.

Jewel by Lisa has shown its collections on international platforms – from Johannesburg, London, Paris, to New York at New York Fashion Week (SS10 & SS12) as part of the Arise Magazine collectives at the MercedezBenz New York Fashion Week Spring Summer ‘10 & ’12 collections, and Lagos at the celebrated Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) in Lagos, Nigeria. Additionally, the label presented its AW ‘12/Resort ‘13 collection at the prestigious Pitti W Tradeshow in Florence via Lagos Fashion and Design Week, with Nigeria as Guest Nation. Most recently, the label showcased its Spring Summer 2013 collection in Milan at the Vogue Talent Exhibition in collaboration with Vogue Italia.

Jewel by Lisa has been featured in several publications such as The New York Times, Drapers, Vogue.co.uk, Style.com, BBC.co.uk, MTV.co.uk, Vogue.it, Dazeddigital.com, ModaOperandi.com, Lucky, Women’s Wear Daily, Harpersbazaar.co.uk, The Financial Times Online (How To Spend It), Glamour Magazine (South Africa), Essence, Arise, Ebony, Marie Claire (Italia, Russia, & South Africa).
The brand has also been well received and worn by the likes of British Actress, Thandie Newton & Singer, Solange Knowles.

The collection was available at British Luxury Department store, Selfridges via a Pop Up space designed and supported by Lagos Fashion and Design Week
(LFDW).

Jewel by Lisa has collaborated with global brands such as Blackberry and L’Oreal, to create limited edition Blackberry Phone cases and Lipstick & Nailpolish covers, respectively.

Lisa Folawiyo, founder and creative director of Jewel by Lisa studied Law at the University of Nigeria. With no formal training, she started the label in her home, after the birth of her daughter in 2005. Her passion for clothes and her innate sense of style led her to create what at the time had never been done,
the embellishing of the local Ankara fabric; which has now become a global phenomenon