NFD Meets The Amazing Creative, Bella Adeleke! Fun Photos, Interview & More!

Posted by Ajemina

I've been wanting to meet with Bella Adeleke for the longest time...so once I arrived in London, I reached out and the rest is history.

Bella Adeleke is a 'Creative' with a long list of accomplishments under her belt. She started out as a fashion intern very briefly for Fab magazine and moved on to styling music videos and artists for promo images and branding. 

Bella also contributed to Wow magazine as a stylist,  Blanck Digital as a creative director & progressively graduated to Creatively directing and image consulting for brands, artists and clients such as Asa, Tiwa Savage, Ice Prince, Iyanya, Seyi Shay, CEO Dancers, Moelogo, Gidimint, Laine et peerles, NBDA shoes just to name a few.

 NOW, she's out with her very own magazine called Bold and a T-shirt line called 'Mr Garbe'  It's evident that Bella did NOT COME TO PLAY! What inspires me the most about her story is her passion for empowering the youth & projecting Africa's rich culture and heritage through her work.

I met up with her and the Bold magazine team on set of their upcoming issue. It was cool to watch them work their magic behind-the-scenes. The atmosphere was fun & groovy! Loved it!

Here are the photos and interview with Bella...Enjoy!

How it all started…

I think it goes as far back as my childhood if I am honest. I was into art; I was quite good at abstract and landscape paintings and i was very big on extracurricular activities in school. Being raised by a mother who was a fabric merchant and being the only daughter meant i was her little unofficial assistant to most of her trip to fabric factories around the world. This i feel developed my mind in such an amazing way. I personally think it defined my relationship with fabric; its motion, colours, patterns, textures etc…i think that was how my creative curiosity and Fashion intuition sort of started really started.

Why magazines?

It was more or less an inevitable decision for me to venture into. A magazine is a publication containing articles and illustrations aimed at a particular audience, and how best to inspire the next generation if not through breath taking-images, informative, thought provoking and relevant articles.

Challenges in breaking even

Capturing your targeted audience is always the biggest challenge. It's more or less a popularity contest. the more popular and sought after your publication is, the bigger you get and the greater your chances of breaking even. For now, I am more interested in capturing the right audience - creating with great content and relevant articles.

Inspiration

God, my mum, people I've had the opportunity to meet in life…Life in itself is inspiring to me

1 thing in Bold magazine that can't be found elsewhere 

African youth inspired editorials and articles. We try to keep it as real as it can be. There is no use sugar coating things especially when it is the future of our dear nation that is hanging in the balance. So I believe 'Bold' is a balance between escapism (amazing imagery, product placements and fashion editorials) and hard hitting reality through our articles and features. You most certainly can't find that anywhere…well for now.

What's your go to fashion brand in Nigeria & elsewhere

Zara, Cos, H&M, Orange Culture and I recently discovered Zashadu bags and it was love at first sight.

All time style Icon

Daphne Guiness.

Best magazine publication

Vogue, Grazia, Elle, Vice and Love magazine

About your T-shirt line

Mr Garbe is a brand that educates through fashion. It embodies African history through timeless pieces. Each collection of T-shirts is inspired by things I have seen as a child, little history I learnt in secondary school in Lagos and the present.

How do you juggle running a T-shirt line & a Magazine and Work?

I will be absolutely honest with you, i think i am a glutton for work (lol). I really don't know how i pull it all off but i know for certain that i do it all by God’s grace and mercy.

If you had to choose 1 which would you choose

I can’t…Its like asking me to choose between my first child and my first love.

Which international celebrity would you love to grace the cover of Bold Magazine?

I will give you a male and female choice. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Fela Kuti if he was still alive.

Thoughts on the Nigerian fashion industry

Progressive, we are in a trail and error phase as it is a new industry. For Industries to work in Nigeria there has to be structure and it looks like everything is being put in place to ensure that the foundation of this industry is solid and hopefully stand the test of the rapidly changing time.

Thoughts on Nigeria's Economic situation 

It has to get worse for it to get better. Corruption is a fundamental problem in Nigeria. It is actually beyond a problem, like it’s the norm in Nigeria, it is embedded in the bedrock of the economic system in country. You always have to “give” something everywhere you go; from police officers on the street, to gate men, to pastors, to get admission into universities…So for it to get better drastic measures needs to be taken and for those measures to be implemented everybody will feel the pain of the circumstance.

Gender equality bill

If I go into this issue i think you will need to create another interview for me to vent out all my frustration. Nigeria is as progressive as it is regressive in many aspects. We cannot be the giant of Africa if we cannot keep our home in order and do the right thing. You want the West to take you seriously and not treat you like second citizens yet you think it is alright to refuse a bill that promotes equality…I just can’t.

Chibok girls

I personally think there is more to this story than the government is letting us believe and it might be worse than what the media actually showed us. I really want to believe that the girls will be found and reunited with their families…till then all we can do is pray and hope it isn't too late.