Adebayo Oke-Lawal

Adebayo Oke-Lawal is a Nigerian fashion designer and the founder and creative director of Orange Culture, a label known for combining African references with contemporary silhouettes and examining conventional ideas about masculinity and gendered dress.

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About Adebayo Oke-Lawal

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Nigeria · Fashion designer, Creative director · 1 affiliation

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Also known as: Adebayo Okelawal
Known for: Contemporary Nigerian fashion; Fashion design addressing masculinity and gender expression; Fashion-industry education and mentorship
Country: Nigeria

Fashion designer
Creative director

At a glance

Oke-Lawal is the founder and creative director of Orange Culture.
His design practice is associated with contemporary Nigerian fashion and challenges conventional ideas about masculinity and gender expression.
The official LVMH Prize archive records Orange Culture as a semi-finalist for the 2014 prize.
He established Orange Mentorship to expand education and access for aspiring fashion-industry participants.
Orange Culture appeared in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Fashion in Motion series in 2024, and Vogue Business named Oke-Lawal among its 2025 100 Innovators.

Training and education

The Guardian Nigeria reported in 2016 that Oke-Lawal had no formal fashion training and taught himself sewing and pattern-cutting through online resources before completing internships with Nigerian designers. The Business of Fashion lists a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Lagos and a Master of Science in international business from Northumbria University, although the supplied evidence does not include primary confirmation from either institution.

Orange Culture and its design perspective

Orange Culture emerged around 2010–2011, with official and industry sources generally placing its runway launch in 2011. The label's work combines African references with contemporary silhouettes and addresses masculinity, individuality and gender expression. Oke-Lawal has said that its name and ethos drew on "The Orange Boy," a story he wrote about toxic masculinity and individual expression.

Industry and institutional recognition

Orange Culture's international profile includes recognition by the LVMH Prize, whose official archive identifies the label as a 2014 semi-finalist. Oke-Lawal became a BoF 500 member in 2022, Orange Culture presented in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Fashion in Motion series in 2024, and Vogue Business included him in its 2025 list of 100 Innovators.

Fashion education and mentorship

Beyond his work as a designer, Oke-Lawal has contributed to fashion-industry education through Orange Mentorship. OkayAfrica reported that the initiative was founded in 2017 to provide education and access for people seeking to enter the fashion industry.

Affiliations

Orange Culture Founder and creative director present

Timeline

2011 Orange Culture launched and made its official runway debut at Lagos Fashion & Design Week.
2014 The official LVMH Prize archive designated Orange Culture a semi-finalist for the 2014 prize.
2017 OkayAfrica reported the founding of Orange Mentorship, an initiative intended to provide education and access for aspiring fashion-industry participants.
2022 The Business of Fashion lists Oke-Lawal as a BoF 500 member beginning in 2022.
2024-08-16 Orange Culture presented in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Fashion in Motion series at V&A South Kensington.
2025 Vogue Business included Oke-Lawal in its 2025 100 Innovators: Entrepreneurs and Founders feature.

Additional verified details

Current context

Oke-Lawal is listed as founder and creative director of Orange Culture; The Business of Fashion also lists him as chief executive. The chief-executive title is supported by The Business of Fashion. Vogue Business independently identified him as founder and creative director in 2025, but no separate 2026 corporate filing or organizational leadership page was located.

Biographical facts

The Guardian Nigeria reported in 2016 that Oke-Lawal had no formal fashion training, taught himself sewing and pattern-cutting through online resources, and completed internships with Nigerian designers.
The Business of Fashion lists a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Lagos and a Master of Science in international business from Northumbria University.
In a 2020 interview, Oke-Lawal said the Orange Culture name and ethos drew on "The Orange Boy," a story he wrote about toxic masculinity and individual expression.