“Living in different places, speaking several languages and being exposed to diverse cultures expands your horizon and gives you an insight into different perspectives.”
Eva Sonaike is the founder and Creative Director of a London-based lifestyle company that uses African prints and African inspired textiles to create beautiful fabrics and luxurious accessories for home décor, fashion and interior design.
Eva was born and raised in Germany and is of Nigerian origin. She has taken the best elements of European and African cultures to inspire her work
Eva Sonaike graduated with an MA in Fashion from the London College of Fashion. She specialized in contemporary African fashion and African textiles. She then pursued an editorial career working as UK Fashion Editor for Hubert Burda Media for five years, and for German Elle, InStyle and Focus.
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My exclusive email interview with the designer sheds light on her creative journey.
What inspired you to venture into design?
I have always been very passionate about interior design and the colorful wax fabric that can be seen all over Africa. I worked as a fashion journalist at a glossy magazine for years and felt like a change. After I had my first child, I launched a small collection of wax print cushions as a little side business. But within a short time, I got picked up by an agent who showed my collection to London department stores. The collection was picked up by Selfridges, Liberty and Fenwick within our first season. I knew then that this was viable business. This spurred me into developing the brand.
How is world responding to “African design”?
African design is a very broad word, as different regions and cultures have different design and textile traditions.
From what I can see in the soft furnishing and interior industries, as well as fashion, there has been an increase in interest and association of various African designs in recent years. Before it was all animal print, Safari style, but now you can see traditional African fabrics, such as adire, and mud cloth, as well as the wax prints (which are not traditionally African) across many disciplines.
What were the challenges you faced when you began designing full time?
Like every brand, getting the recognition from buyers, interior designer and press took some time. And to gain the trust that we are a reliable, high quality, brand that caters to the high end and luxury market takes time.
But I think, apart from having a unique brand, I was also at the right place at the right time. There were no major African-inspired interior brands on the market when we stared.
What advice would you give to aspiring designers who are yet to embrace the career?
Have your own unique story that is part of your brand and distinguishes you from the rest. It is very competitive out there, so you have to have a strong USP.
Other than that, you have to be extremely passionate and love and believe in what you are doing, so that you can withstand criticism and challenges and lean from it.
What has your biggest career achievement been?
To still be around and growing the business month-by-month and year by year! These seem like small steps, but I think we have come a long way and I am proud to represent African design in a positive and professional way.
How has your nationally diverse upbringing affected your style?
My bi-cultural upbringing is reflected in my designs and brand. People describe my aesthetic as a clean and static approach to Traditional African design. But I think it goes further. Living in different places, speaking several languages and being exposed to diverse cultures expands your horizon and gives you an insight into different perspectives. I think that has helped me with my overall approach to life and my designs are part of this.
Any current career goals?
To keep growing and strengthening the brand and get more exposure worldwide.
To purchase Evas’ creations
EUROPE
BARBARA HOME, Switzerland barbarahome.com
STYLEPASTE, Denmark stylepaste.com
ROSA GARCIA, Spain rosagarcia.com
PINEAPPLE LANE, Germany pineapple-lane.de
RENKO LONDON, UK renkolondon.com
SOPILIPILI, Luxembourg sopilipili.com
AS BY AS, France asbyas.fr
AFRICA
TEMPLE MUSE, Nigeria temple-muse.com
ALARA LAGOS, Nigeria alaralagos.com
USA & CANADA
ALT FOR LIVING, New York (SHOWROOM) altforliving.com
ALT BOX, New York (SHOWROOM) altforliving.com
MARTIN NASH, Atlanta (SHOWROOM) martinnash.com
SUPPLY SHOWROOM Austin (SHOWROOM) supplyshowroom.com
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST
INDIGO LIVING, Hong Kong indigo-living.com
INDIGO LIVING, Dubai indigo-living.com
AUSTRALIA
STYLE REVOLUTIONARY (SHOWROOM) stylerevolutionary.com
CLOTH & PAPER STUDIO (SHOWROOM) clothandpaperstudio.com.au
Meet Eva Sonaike “Living in different places, speaking several languages and being exposed to diverse cultures expands your horizon and gives you an insight into different perspectives.”
