Behind The Seams: Bunmi Koko

Written By: Belinda Otas—In addition to our fashion piece on Bunmi Koko, the London based Nigerian designer, we would like to add that Bunmi took the time to learn her craft. Passionate about design and style from an early age, Bunmi also studied at some of London’s leading fashion institutes.

Bunmi explains, "I knew I wanted to be a designer from the moment I could hold a pencil. I drew on everything from an early age, from drawing cartoon images to drawing dresses that I saw in magazines. But the defining moment was the summer I started making clothes for my Barbie doll. I used everything I could find, socks, and denim even wrapping paper and cellotape. I was only about five or six years old. The passion to draw and paint developed over the years and I took the necessary steps to gain the required skills by studying art and design in addition to a Styling & Photography at the prestigious London College of Fashion where I showed a dedication to fashion, style and the photographic medium. However, I still had a hunger to design and make clothes and went on to study for a degree in Fashion Design & Marketing. During my studies, I had the privilege of working for luxury companies such as Prada, Harrods, Allison Rodger and Louis Vuitton. It was during this time that I developed my individual creative style and an understanding of what luxury garments look like."

Read more about Bunmi Koko in the current, Designer Edition, of MIMI.

(Photo Credits: © David Brunetti for Bunmi Koko)