#sparkchamber 071122 — Funmi Odeniyi
Bold and brilliant graces #sparkchamber today as we welcome fashion designer Funmi Odeniyi, the Creative Director of MichNat Fashion House in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Nigeria, Funmi always had a passion for fashion, “I started making pieces when I was little, about ten.” But pursuing fashion as a career wasn’t immediately in the cards, “My parents wanted me to be something else. So I studied accounting, and became an accountant, and started working in the banking industry back home.”
Five years ago, she and her husband migrated to Canada. A short time later, while on maternity leave with her fourth child, she started making clothing again, sparking her to consider a refocus — “We are starting a new life, so why not just start all over?” With a mission of adding color and uniqueness to an otherwise bland industry, Funmi founded her business in 2020 — in the middle of the pandemic — and has never looked back. MichNat Fashion — the name inspired by the names of her children — crafts stunning, versatile, vibrant statement pieces in a contemporary western style, but infused with a touch of Afro-flair. “The good thing about what I do, some people want to look outstanding, look different from what we’d regularly see at the store. So yeah, I make their dream come true.”
1.] Where do ideas come from?
I am mostly inspired by trends, diversity and inclusion. This is why my focus is on Afrocentric clothing that are unique, versatile and stylish.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
My passion for fashion and trends are my motivation.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
As a mum with four young kids, staying up late or waking up at midnight works great for me. I still work all day but midnights are great, I do my pattern cutting during the day and focus on sewing at night. I also try to do most of the administrative bits like social media management, shipping etc., during the day.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
When my clients send me feedback about their order, I know the story is complete and I have been able to impact someone’s fashion world.
