How Damilola’s shoemaking skill earned global recognition

Ayo-Odugbesan Damilola is the visionary founder and creative director of Blarkmate, a globally recognised footwear and leather goods brand. Under her leadership, Blarkmate has achieved significant milestones, selling over 5,000 pairs of premium footwear worldwide and earning a place in prestigious fashion events, including the Lagos Leather Fair and various high-profile exhibitions.

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for design, Damilola transformed her brand from a fledgling idea into a thriving business known for its innovation, craftsmanship, and timeless elegance. Her ambition is to expand Blarkmate into a global lifestyle brand synonymous with luxury and sustainability, delivering exceptional quality while championing local craftsmanship, eco-conscious production practices and upcycling. As she develops her next collection of bags and leather accessories, Damilola remains focused on pushing the boundaries of modern elegance, functionality, and design
innovation.

In this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE-KORIEOCHA, Damilola walks us through her creative process, from inspiration to production how her experience in the hospitality industry prepared her for the fashion world, and the skills she transferred to her current role.

Damilola, congratulations on building Blarkmate into a globally recognised brand. Can you take us through your journey, from conceptualising the idea to achieving international recognition?

Oh, Thank You! My deep passion for Styling, Creativity, Hospitality and Fashion led me to the creation of Blarkmate. I have always been fascinated by how shoes could transform an entire look. The stories the fabrics or materials tell, especially with the likes of Aso-oke, Cowries, Adire, Damask and so on are very interesting to me. After Spending six years in hospitality and dabbling in media during my university, I knew I wanted to create something of my own, something in fashion that carried elegance, culture, everyday functionality and comfort. I didn’t have a background in shoemaking, I grew up seeing cobblers go from house to house to fix shoes for people like my mom, with good or regrettable banter. I started Blarkmate based on my unwavering determination to create something unique, something that showcases my love for designs that celebrate craftsmanship on a global scale. A brand that can merge traditional textiles with high-quality leathers creating functional, timeless, comfortable footwear. It started off with me designing shoes through sketching and working with skilled shoemakers in Lagos, Nigeria. Blarkmate has gone beyond my wildest dreams, seeing my designs on people across different continents and receiving so much love and accolades is surreal. My goal has always been to put what I do on a global stage and every milestone I hit brings me closer to that dream.

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How did your experience in the hospitality industry prepare you for the fashion world, and what skills did you transfer to your current role?

Hospitality taught me patience and creating unforgettable experiences, which is what fashion is or should be about. It also prepared me for customer-focused interactions, networking, and building relationships with my team and vendors. Working in Hospitality for over six years refined my eyes for details, managing expectations, solving problems on the go, and making each customer feel special by selling the experience rather than just the product.

Your designs are known for their timeless elegance and innovation. Can you walk us through your creative process, from inspiration to production?

My inspiration usually starts with a moment, a memory, texture, conversation, history, art, nature, music, movies, and oddly enough my great grannies and mama’s fashion style. A lot of times while sketching I love to use the wedding tradition of something old, something new and something borrowed. Every design starts with a sketch and a mood board. When the design is finalised, we prototype, test for comfortability, and durability and push it out to the world.

How do you balance aesthetics with functionality in your designs, and what role does sustainability play in your decision-making?

It’s a thing to create beautiful footwear, but if the shoe isn’t comfortable, what is the point? Everyone around me knows I am big on comfortability. which is why every time I design footwear, I always think “Is this comfortable?” “Can I wear it for more than an hour without my feet getting tired or looking for a place to sit?” “Would anyone purchasing this love it beyond the first wear?” Every Design prioritizes both style and comfort. Also, Sustainability is important for us because we are very cautious of wastage, so we minimize waste during production and upcycle our leathers.

As a successful entrepreneur, what advice would you give to emerging designers looking to build their own brands?

To anyone planning to start a business and feeling lost or confused, know that there will never be a perfect time, start before you feel ready, learn as you go, be willing to unlearn and relearn and do not be afraid to make mistakes or quit because of criticism. Your story, vision and values will shine in everything you do, so don’t just build a business, build a brand.

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How do you approach leadership and team management, and what values do you prioritize in your company culture?

Being a leader takes more than just calling the shots, it means having empathy and purpose. I consider my team to be my partners in bringing my vision to life. Our core values are open communication, respect of creativity and open-mindedness. I encourage my team to take initiative because when someone feels like they are being seen, heard or valued, it brings out the best in them and this is how Blarkmate as a brand and business keep evolving.

What trends do you see shaping the fashion and leather goods industries in the next 5-10 years, and how is Blarkmate positioned to adapt?

Comfortable, Customisation and Sustainable fashion are really taking over. Everyone wants something unique, pieces that are made of history, especially African history with modern innovation. Blarkmate explores tech-driven designs that blend with heritage craftsmanship and eco-friendly materials.

Can you share your vision for expanding Blarkmate into a global lifestyle brand, and what strategies you’ll employ to achieve this goal?

My vision is to expand Blarkmate into more fashion accessories, Gadget accessories, home pieces and lots more that celebrate African heritage with a tech modern twist. Look into international collaborations, and retail partnerships and create a brand that connects with customers immersively.

How do your interests in photography, storytelling, and culinary exploration influence your creative vision and approach to design?

Photography allows me to capture and appreciate details, textures, colours and compositions when designing or buying materials. Storytelling helps me sketch my designs with deeper meaning, ensuring that every Blarkmate piece tells a story of culture, identity or craftsmanship. Culinary exploration exposes me to diverse flavours and artistic sketches, inspiring unexpected colour palettes and textures that translate into unique footwear designs.

What drives your passion for mentoring and training emerging creatives, and how do you see this work impacting the industry?

Mentoring is bigger than just me, it’s about building a legacy with my innovation and creativity. I absolutely know what it’s like to start with a vision and a penny. So, If I can help another creative navigate through the journey, that will always give me total satisfaction and complete happiness. Empowering designers creates better products out there and it pushes the industry forward.

What’s next for Blarkmate, and what exciting projects can we expect from the brand in the coming years?

Blarkmate has some big things coming. Expansion of our product line, collaboration with other brands, Runway shows, launching more immersive shopping experiences and hopefully, doing our first-ever pop-up event later in the year. There is also an exciting Limited Edition collection in the works, so stay tuned.

As you continue to push the boundaries of modern elegance and sustainability, what message do you hope to convey to your audience and the wider fashion industry?

African Creatives and African Craftsmanship deserve global recognition. Comfortable Sustainable Fashion is the future. Elegance should never compromise comfort. With Blarkmate, we are proving that you can have it all. Fashion should tell a story and Blarkmate is here to make sure that it is a meaningful one.