Before there was IGBAANI, there was a little girl who simply refused to blend in.
A beginning
There was never a time I wasn't obsessed with creating art.
Long before IGBAANI existed, I was the little girl who refused to wear just anything. I always wanted to look different.
Even when my parents bought me new clothes without telling me, I'd already imagined the shoes, jewellery, and hair accessories I wanted to pair them with. Looking back, I realise I wasn't just dressing up, I was telling stories through what I wore.
“Even as a child, I couldn’t wear something without imagining how I’d make it differently.”
“Around age 10, I taught myself to sew miniature traditional outfits for my doll.”
As I got older, shopping became frustrating because I could never quite find what I imagined. So I started creating it instead. I felt more like myself in the pieces I made than in anything I could buy. I'm sure many of you know the feeling. There's something deeply personal about wearing something made just for you. Bespoke isn't just about the perfect fit; it's about wearing something that feels like an extension of who you are.
Art has always been the way I made sense of the world. One of my favourite childhood memories is recreating my traditional outfits for my dolls. I'd hand-sew miniature versions of them. They were far from perfect, but I was completely obsessed.
Then one day, I watched one of my secondary school teachers bead. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Not long after, I taught myself how to bead and started making accessories.
Soon, I was embellishing my mum's gele for weddings and family celebrations. Before I knew it, I was trusted to bead my uncle and his bride's wedding outfit in 2012. It still amazes me when I think about it.
Around that same time, I became fascinated with makeup. I'd experiment with whatever I could find, using coloured lip gloss as eyeshadow or blush long before I owned actual makeup. My dad wasn't exactly thrilled. He constantly reminded me I was too young. But I wasn't interested in makeup because everyone else was. I was fascinated by transformation, craftsmanship, colour, and the tiny details that could make someone feel confident and beautiful. I didn't realise it then, but every one of those moments was quietly preparing me for the life I'm building today.
Looking back now, I realise they all led me here, to IGBAANI. But that journey wasn't as straightforward as it sounds. Before IGBAANI, there was another dream, one that was interrupted in a way I never expected. It’s about to be a crazy ride. See you soon?
Until the next stitch,
Mero.