A bespoke experience with Habana

BY DAMILOLA ADEKOYA

ADE Olodun, creative director of Habana, an outfit that majors in men’s clothing, is living his dreams: dressing up men in bespoke attires.

  Before setting up the outfit, Olodun, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, had done post-graduate training programmes at the Hult International Business School and London College of Fashion, both in UK, to hone his fashion and business skills.

   He says the business started for him from his dissatisfaction with existing brands. “We needed our own style to wear to job interviews and corporate events; so, we started to do something in that regards and people keyed into it.”  

  Going professionally six years ago, the designer chose to specialise in men’s clothing because he wanted to infuse modernity and timelessness into his pieces.

  “I grew up marveling at some brands, which have ceased to diminish with time like Rolls-Royce, Rolex, Breitling, Phillipe Patek. So, while having a taste of style, it is value for money for the piece to be an enduring one,” he says.

    He adds, “while growing up, I have always had the opportunity to be properly dressed; and becoming conscious of that, I went about dressing people properly. So, making dresses or dressing well is more of a process.”

    He also recalled how his family gave him all the necessary encouragement needed since designing was an effortless passion for him.

  Commenting on the challenges in the industry, Olodun notes, “fitting sessions for clients remains a major challenge, due to traffic issues and work schedules; but we are subduing it.”

  Apart from designing, Olodun finds time for his pastime — reading. “You can never imagine a designer, reading books on Chairman Mao and a host of others,” he says.

  Inspired by the smile on the face of a satisfied client, the CEO of Habana plans to consolidate on his creativity and maintain a viable structure that would deliver value services to clients.