Aristic Decor by Eva Sonaike

Has it always been fashion?

I always loved fashion, but I started out with journalism. I studied at the (then) London College of Printing and got a job as a TV producer for a trend and travel program after graduation. I was doing documentaries about everything cool and trendy in London, Paris and New York. That was amazing. I met so many interesting people.

I had quite a lot of input on the content of this program and naturally made features about lots of fashion designers, boutique owners and models.

What has it been like working as UK fashion editor of Hubert Burda Media?

Working as UK fashion editor of Hubert Burda Media is an amazing, but also very hard job. It was the job I initially had in mind when studying journalism and six years on, I got it.

I am looking after the whole UK fashion content for all Hubert Burda publications, which include German Elle, Instyle and Freundin amongst many others.

You have to know the UK fashion market inside out, attend London Fashion Week and see every show, write articles about up and coming and well established designers, get clothes for fashion shoots from the PRs and be aware of the latest trends in not only fashion, but also beauty, lifestyle and design. Then of course there are the fashion parties, wich are work but also a chance to meet people.

What made you decide to specialise in home furnishings and accessories?

I always loved interiors. I can remember flicking through my parents’ interior decoration books before I could even read.

And one of my passions is decorating homes. I was always making cushions for my own home, so there came a point in my life where I felt it was time to come out of my shell and share my work with the world.

Like most women, I also love accessories, especially bags. That’s why I decided to also launch an accessory line.

Tell us the about the concept behind the Eva Sonaike brand?

Using colorful African and African-inspired fabrics and combining them with delicate materials is the core of the Eva Sonaike brand. It is important for me to show that African-inspired products can be very high-end, with a luxurious finish and appeal to a design-conscious customer.

What inspires your work?

Colour, plants, flowers, beauty…. I am sitting on a balcony in Greece at the moment looking at the blue sea next to a sharp green palm tree. That already gives me enough material for a new collection.

After working in fashion for some time, where the dress-code is often black, it makes me cherish even more both our contemporary and traditional West African, (particularly Yoruba) style of our dress. The colours speak for themselves.

Which African fabrics do you enjoy working the most and why?

I love Nigerian ankara, for it’s amazing colour combinations and the complexity of the design.

I also love silk aso oke, which is in my opinion one of the most royal fabrics around. It is so versatile and delicate at the same time.

How do you source for the fabrics you use?

For the ankara and wax fabric, I like Balogun market as a source. It makes me feel good to purchase my fabrics in the heart of Lagos. You have to have experience a busy African market to understand what I am talking about. It is real!

But being based in the UK, I also work with traders in Holland and in the UK.

My aso oke is made by a family friend in Lagos, where I can go and choose every colour combination under the sun and make my own designs. The aso oke strips are hand-woven in her factory for me.

How have your mixed cultural experiences from Nigeria, Germany, France, USA and the UK shaped your interpretation of fashion as an art form?

Nigeria, with its people, warmth, madness and vibe will always be my number one inspiration.

I was exposed to art from an early age, as my dad is a historic art restorer. So antique furniture and art have always played an important part in my life.

Growing up in Germany was a great learning curve in terms of discipline and how to approach things, as well as a confidence booster (if you can make it in Germany as a black person, you can make it anywhere in the world).

I never lived in the USA and Paris, but have been there over years for work and made some good friends. Visually, they are very interesting places and the art and street art scenes in both places have a tremendous impact on me.

But I decided to make London my home, because it is in my opinion the most culturally diverse place, where people form different backgrounds live and interact happily with each other.

And it is not too far from my parents, who are based in Germany.

All of those countries have influenced my point of view and my interpretation of art and design, which is transcultural (I saw the Chris Ofili exhibition at the Tate modern, as well as Van Gogh at the Royal Academy in one weekend), but in my heart I am still a proud Nigerian.

How do you incorporate this into your designs?

It was very important for me to make African and African-inspired fabrics the core of my work, because they are from my country of origin and I love the look, texture and feel of them, as well as the meaning they bring to interior spaces. Combined with the velvet backing I use, they represent the ‘best of both worlds’: the vibrancy of African colors and the elegance and understatement of Western design.

What role do you think art plays in fashion?

I think many designers are artists. Of course, there are some, who have a solely commercial approach, but many fashion designers work from their soul. So whatever they put out there is very precious and personal to them.

Art is also often used as a source of inspiration for fashion designers.

I love going to art galleries to look at art. I gives me a certain sense of piece and tranquility. And of course inspiration not only for my work, but for life.

Describe the process involved in making your pieces.

I source and source and source the ankara and wax fabric, which can take weeks. It is very difficult and time-consuming, because I have to find the designs that fit the shapes of my cushions, notebooks and bags.

Sometimes I find a design that speaks to me and I buy it immediately, even if I am not working on a collection. Depending on how strong that piece is, I either develop a collection around it or use it in the future.

I then have to choose the right backing color, which is again quite challenging. Sometimes I like to clash and sometimes I like to blend. It really depends on the design.

The most difficult part is to put together a collection. The pieces can mismatch, but still have to work perfectly together. I only trust my vision when it comes to that.

For the aso oke, I usually have a sketch book and a lot of colored pencils in my bag and note down any color combination that comes into my mind. I was on the underground in London the other week and saw the most amazing shade of pink in an advert. I will definitely work with this shade of pink soon.

What has been your greatest achievement till date?

Giving birth to my two children Omololu and Similola. I have already developed a baby accessories range called ‘Lolu Lola’ named after them.

Do you have plans to distribute outside the UK?

I am already selling in the US and Germany. And I am hoping to hold a sale in Nigeria and possibly Ghana later this year.

What should we expect from you in the near future?

The notebooks are ready beginning of June and bags will be online this summer.

The new cushion collection ‘Taqua Bay’ is going into stores in August and I am working on a limited edition furniture line with some amazing antiques. So please keep checking evasonaike.com. Thanks so much. It is great to have interest and support from home.

Sneak peek into the ‘Taqua Bay’ collection