Abisola Yelé Oladeinde : Exploring Fashion and The Yele stitches Story
Welcome to The Truth in His Art, your source for conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, and tuning in as always. It's really important for us to get these stories out there the way that they need to be heard. So, you know, we're a podcast that likes to have folks come on and share their story, really get into so that the thinking and the nitty gritty of how they do what they do.
Rob Lee:So today, I am thrilled to introduce my next guest, a Nigeria born Baltimore based visionary behind Yele, which blends Afrofuturism and modern fashion to celebrate African heritage. My guest has been recognized by, Essence and Yahoo News and featured in Visa's She's Next 23. Yele is refining luxury fashion. Please welcome Abisola Oladende. Welcome to the podcast.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Oh, thank you so very much, Rob. I appreciate you.
Rob Lee:Thank you for coming on. It it it's good to see you know, it's about energy. Right? We already started with the good energy. We were, you know, and before I I know.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:The button. Uh-huh.
Rob Lee:So it's a good way to go into it, you know, like, you'll have some folks who do an interview. Right? Mhmm. And it's no depth to it. It's just a bunch of compliments, but nothing that really gets to it.
Rob Lee:And I like to kinda, you know, connect with the person. Yeah. You'll hear it all the time.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I appreciate that. Yeah. It makes me comfortable. I'm like, okay. I can share.
Rob Lee:Yeah. Because I'm because I'm tricking y'all because I'm tricking y'all to get all the juicy details. Like, who's messy? Who's behind the scenes? So before we get into those said messy details and all of the thinking of those in, you know, I wanna invite you to to introduce yourself, clippings, and the artist statement.
Rob Lee:But in your own words, could you introduce yourself to potentially a new audience that often goes beyond sort of the bio, the press clippings, and the artist statement. But in your own words, could you introduce yourself?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:In my own words, I am Abisola Omoiele Olaadendi and I am a Nigerian fashion designer based in Baltimore. I am married with no kids yet, but that's enough of my personal story. Let's go back to my business story.
Rob Lee:You know, and and and that's the thing, like, when you're you're you do the intro, like, I I I know when I I interviewed someone a while back and I'm going over all the details. They've done press for this and that and they're like, alright, number 1, I'm a parent. You know, number 2, I'm a human. I was like, oh, okay. Yeah.
Rob Lee:Yeah. So it's like I got the the sort of online thing and I like to get the real one from the person being like, look, like I said before we got started, you know, somebody might introduce me as a podcast.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I will introduce you as that next time.
Rob Lee:That's a acylag Rob right there. The big ash. So in that that that vein, could you give us a glimpse into your journey? You you touched on, you know, fashion design. You touched on you showed your background, but in doing some of the research, you touched on very, you know, speechless.
Rob Lee:Like, you know, in doing some of the research, it's not just, hey, you know, one day I started, like, yeah, I'm a look at this fabric, I wanna make this, this is what I'm doing, here's some textiles.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Uh-huh.
Rob Lee:Give us a glimpse into your journey. Where, you know, where'd you, you know, where's the sort of early inspirations? Where is those, like, initial moments and even some of the pivotal moments along the way to where we're at now? Give us sort of the the story, if you will.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:You know, I I wish it was like I look at fabric and boom. I wish that was how it was, but it's not like that. So at a like a very early stage, my my grandmom and my auntie were both, like, fashion designers, but I had absolutely no interest. I wanted to be a doctor. So it was like, okay, I was seeing all the things that have been around me and people were telling me a story about how my grandma was in such a phenomenal fashion designer.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm like, okay, good for her. I still wanna be a doctor. And it's like, okay, you're such yeah. You're such a great science student and that's all you wanna do. That's all I wanna do.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I was very good with sciences. Like, I didn't think that I would have anything to do with art. In fact, I was a snob. Just that bad. I was such a snub.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So, like, because of all of that, like, my journey to fashion was like, I was going like, it's on a voom. It was complete it was complete turnaround. And and what happened was I was, so from a young age, I had my own, like, sense of file that I liked, that I wasn't seeing everywhere. So because of that, I don't do, like, custom, designs. So I I looked I went to, like, our tailor to get my designs made.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I was like, okay. I want it like this and I want it like this. Mind you, I was a teenager. And then she was like, I'm so tired of you. Like, you know, you're always complaining.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:You like, okay, just come to my, my tailor shop and just learn how to use a sewing machine. That's all you're gonna learn. Just know how easy it is, and you maybe you stop complaining when you complain. So I did. I was like, challenge accepted.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm gonna do this. And then I went and I saw it was not easy at all. But I I tried my best. I learned how to use a sewing machine. Like, that was, like, all I learned from her.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like, how to just use the sewing machine. On the sewing machine are the difficult ones, like the OG sewing machines. Not this this singer that I see now. I see OG singers. The one that outside you finish is like a workout.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:You just finished walking out using the sewing machine. So that was all I learned from her. Then after that, I went to college, studied microbiology. And while I was in college, I was still like going in and out, like just using the sewing machine a couple of times. Because I I was like, I learned that till one time ago.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Let me just look at it again. And then, after college, my dad bought me my first sewing machine at 21. And I was like, oh, that's like a note from my dad that I could go into this thing that I like, though, even though I wanna be a doctor, but it's fine. And then before I knew it, I started making little pieces for myself and then people saw it and they liked it. And I was like, okay, I can make it for you too.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:If you are, if you are nice to me. And then I went for a couple of people, I'm going to, I was like, okay. Now I'm gonna start charging money for this. Okay. I said, here I am.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It was a lot of YouTube videos, a lot of self practice, a lot of just looking here and there, learning from this person for, like, you know, a few minutes here and there. And before, like, I just practice and grew and grew and grew, and here I am. Yeah. Yeah. I hope you enjoyed my story.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Thank you.
Rob Lee:This is the end of my TED talk. No. I'm digging it. I'm digging it when you you have that sort of early moment where you're, like, oh, no. I'm gonna do this.
Rob Lee:I'm gonna do this microbiology. I'm gonna do the science real quick.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah.
Rob Lee:You know, there there is a like, I watch sci fi, watch, like, action movies, and I watch, like, comic book movies, and they talk about comic book movies sort of, like, you know, variants and alternatives. There is a version out there of you that is, you know, sewing your own lab coats. You know, there's a version out there. This isn't fashionable enough. Let me fix it.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It doesn't
Rob Lee:fit my my frame.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I know. Right? I guess Like in the multiverse, there's like another multiverse out there with me being a doctor, somewhere out there.
Rob Lee:Yes. There's a multiverse
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:point didn't happen.
Rob Lee:Yeah. There's there's a multiverse out there with me with properly moisturized legs. It's great.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And and Wear your pants. Long pants.
Rob Lee:Wear extra long pants. The ones that actually are going over my feet. Yeah. So so so so with it, you you you made that that shift from, you know, sort of you have this background that that's in science. And, indeed, talk about, you know, folks having sort of both both sides of their brain operating?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:And, you know, I have a business background, a business degree in marketing, entrepreneurship, and all of that stuff. And it serves me. And and what I'm doing here is from from a, like, strategic standpoint. Like, I can be on schedule. I know how to read a spreadsheet.
Rob Lee:I know how to learn something. So talk a little bit about if there are any moments where sort of your educational background kind of converges with the the background from YouTube, you, and sort of the getting the reps in and the trial and the the work within, you know, fashion?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Oh, of course. Like, there are times when, like, I understand shapes more than, a lot of people. Let's just put it that we like the of it and, the angles of it. And I am so very good with math. Oh, God.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And with fashion design, that's what many people don't know. With fashion design, inside that, you know how to calculate math or you have a calculator by your side. 1 of the 2. And I'm very good with calculating. I'm like, okay.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Divided by 4. That's it. Something points this, this, this, that's it. Like, that. I think that is like a point where both of them come together and I'm like, okay, I I'm good with shapes.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I know how to make some kind of shape stand and I know how to calculate the circumference to make it, you know, cover a particular width or whatever. So it's like the geometry, the mathematical bit sort of, like, come in to play with my fashion design side. Yeah. And I'm always looking for that innovative edge, like, you know, the material that is made from this organism instead of make from this animal to create more sustainable and ethical, fabrics. So, like, those kind of knowledge of, like, microorganisms versus animals.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So, like, also play into points when I'm sourcing for fabrics, for example. So it's all those little, little things that, you know, come into play. But besides that, I'm a fashion designer now.
Rob Lee:And and that's and that's the thing. Like, it it's it's owning it and it's putting it on. I I I was talking with, you know, a peer in a community, last week, and I was mentioning I was interviewing you, and he was like, she's crushing it. He's like, that's gonna be a good interview. I was like, no.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It is. I was like, he person. Tell me the person name now.
Rob Lee:I'll I'll tell you off Mike. I'll tell you off Mike.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay. Okay. I'll tell you.
Rob Lee:But but, yeah, it's It's like people see what you're doing. People see you out there. And
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Aw. That means a lot to me because I'm out here feeling like I'm just bumping, like, bumping the guest walls. But yeah. Thank you.
Rob Lee:You're you're you're crushing it. And, you know, I saw the press out there.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Thank you.
Rob Lee:This is sort of like the last, like, you know, kinda introductory oriented question I wanna ask you.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:So we had those those those moments that really stick out, you know, and you you mentioned sort of, like, having it around and, you know, sort of that family input, like your dad getting you in the machine and then your your your auntie and you said your your your grandmother, your mom,
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:my grandmother and my auntie, both of them.
Rob Lee:Both of them having that background. It's just like it's around And then you have your own interest in in in fashion, like, look, I wanna make I want this to fit me in a certain way, so make it so. Talk about, like, that moment. Maybe it's something more recent that you were like, this is for me. Mhmm.
Rob Lee:This is gonna be what I'm doing. And and I asked that because as we were touching on, you know, it can be, you know, you're grinding. You feel like you're bumping into stuff. I do this. I'm 700 plus interviews in.
Rob Lee:I don't know if people were listening sometimes. And I'm just, like, doing it because I'm interested and doing it because I think it has value. But, you know, I made this decision that doing podcasting, doing this form of media, this form of storytelling was something that was gonna be a big part of my life, and that was important. When did you have that moment that fashion was gonna be, this is gonna be what I'm doing?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:When did I have that moment? My Spiderman moment. This is a very good question. I for me, I feel like it's, just little, little, little things that added up to make it be like my moment. But I remember, I think I remember a defining, I think I remember a defining moment, and it was when I got to the United States.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So I was doing fashion back in Nigeria, but, like, the end point was to still, like, just do it for the meantime until I finish my masters because I have a masters in bioinformatics now. Just putting that out there. So, like, I finished my master's and I become, like, a full time professor, a 10 year professor somewhere. That was the plan. That was, like, my plan.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So I was just like, I'm just doing this for the meantime to keep myself busy because I don't wanna be idle and all of that. But then I go to the United States, and then one day, out of the blue, someone just sent me a message. She was like, my fashion designer canceled on me. Can you fill in for me real quick? I have a photo shoot.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm coming all the way from Philly. I'm coming to Baltimore. Can you like and I was like, okay. Like, I do have some pieces that I could, like, I could throw on the model. And and so I did that.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And then the next day, well, it was a 2 day shoot. The next day, there was another shoot, and they were asking me if I had more pieces. I stayed up all night to make new pieces for the shoot for the next day. And then when I did, so when I got the shoot was at graffiti alley, like at the back of the building that I'm in right now. And then I got to the graffiti alley and then I dressed this model and everybody kept stopping.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:They were like, who made this dress for you? Who made this dress for you? And then to make every like the icing on the cake, there's this photographer is legendary. He's a legendary photographer to me. Jazz jazz studios, Jeffrey Butler is also in the motor house and his, studio was facing the halo.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So he saw my pieces and he rushed out to ask the model who are the designer that made the pieces. And they were like, that's art. And I was like, like, why the point you choose? And then he came up to me and I was like, oh my goodness. I love your pieces.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I I think it will be great for, like, a photo shoot in my studio and all of that. And I think that was the defining moment for me. Like, that was I was like, I love this thing so much that I stayed up all night to make new pieces for this shoot, and everybody was in love with this. I think that was the moment where I was like, okay. Yes.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm fashion. For real. For real. Not perfect. I'm playing for real.
Rob Lee:That's really, really good.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And Yeah.
Rob Lee:Thank you for sharing that. Like, getting that sort of, you know, that that that gratification is, like like, it is ice and it's the cherry or whatever it is on top of the sweetness. Yeah.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:But the
Rob Lee:sweetness is still being able to do it, and I think recognizing that that, you know, like, sometimes this feels like work. You know what I mean? But and but those moments when you're able to say, damn, that was a really cool conversation. Or Yes. Oh, I really stretched the boundaries of what I know how to do technically, and I'm really, like, I'm getting these shapes right.
Rob Lee:You know, I figured I knew. So, you know, and and this is this is where this sorta segue comes in because I think it's a really good point to do the segue. You were talking about sort of, like, putting that that work in for that that 2 day shoot or what have you. Give us the the rundown because it photos just don't happen. Fashion just doesn't happen.
Rob Lee:So let's say something that you're you're working on coming up. Give us a rundown on what the process looks like of, hey, I know I wanna do these looks or I wanna explore these fashions or this material or these colors. Talk about that that process for you in in making.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay. So let me see. For, let's say last year's last year's, collection, for example. So the first thing that comes to my mind is what story am I trying to tell with this collection? And the story I was trying to tell was the power of love.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It was a love collection. It was centered around love. Love for myself, love for others, love for God. So it was like that was the that was the theme in my brain. So after knowing that that was the theme, I was like, okay.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So what patterns and what symbols and what's, what fabrics am I gonna put together to tell this story? Now I moved on to the fabrics and then I was like what symbols am I gonna put on this fabric to tell this story? So I did a lot of research and I landed on 2 symbols, the power of love symbol and God's protection symbol. So I put those 2 symbols on the fabrics. What colors do I wanna put?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:You know, I pick the colors that I want in it. Okay. These are the colors. These are the symbols. Now let's go to the pieces, the pieces themselves.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:What stories are these pieces telling? And then I have the give me my space piece. That one is like, I love myself. So give me my space. Let me let me be my own person.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Let me self empower. Let me be self empowered and all of that. And then I have the pieces of the male and female, like the kimono piece. The it's right here.
Rob Lee:I'm looking at it. Yeah.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. So the male and female fashion, the kimono pieces, I had the, the wedding dress and the groom's dress. So it was like the entire story was from self love to loving others, to the love of God, and then in relationship between one person and the other person. So that was like the entire story of that connection. So each piece, the symbols, the colors, everything was telling the power of love story.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And I I I believe that, like, that that's what goes on through my mind from beginning to the end.
Rob Lee:Yes. Wow. Yeah. So you're and and I would imagine, you know, in developing pieces as you you were touching on, you know, like, there's sort of the thinking that goes into research and sort of all of this preparation even before the the cutting and the sewing and all of that stuff. Yeah.
Rob Lee:So talk about that component of it as well where, you know, I'm obviously, I'm not doing all this by myself. You know, like all of most of this is me, but, you know, I have a few minutes of the piston and, you know, the editor is doing some of the cutting and but I just put that direction. So talk about sort of that that role. I mean, do you have 8 hands? Do you have extra arms?
Rob Lee:Because there's a lot of work.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mm-mm. I wish I did. So last year, starting from beginning of last year, I got 2 part time employees. You can hear their noises in the background. Even though I'm like, I mean, I need to be right now, but I have 2 employees, like, right here in the room with me.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Do you wanna say hi? No. They don't. So this is my assistant designer. This is Tishawn.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Hi. She's phenomenal. Phenomenal. She owes the ground like down when I'm not around. So like, yeah.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So that's Tishawn. She was my intern like, 2 years ago. So she was my intern 2 years ago. She's from she was from b triple c, and then they pushed that they sent, or she actually registered to intern with me. And then after your internship, she was phenomenal.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And I was like, okay. I gotta hire you. I can let you go. So now she's my assistant designer. And then I also have my seamstress.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Who is not gonna say hi? I have my seamstress. That's Shakila. So I have these 2 people that have been helping me since, like, last year. Shakila joined us later in the year, but they're showing up with me from the beginning of the year.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So those are the people that helped me to make these dreams come true. They're my hands, my ears, and I'm not doing it alone. I have my dream team, and we'll continually expand and, you know, all of that. So, the let's see. With the design concepts, yes, we brainstorm.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I and Tishon brainstorm all the time. Like, okay. Should I do this one here? Should I do that one here? She's like, you know, it will be like that.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm like, you're a genius. So we do a lot of brainstorming in the room, like, back and forth. Like, this thing is not really like, with the wedding dress, for example, which was, like, 3 or 4 people brainstorming on the wedding dress. He was like, okay. We like I I we made this.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Should we make it a butterfly? Should we make it this, this, this, that? And someone just touched this funny or touched the ball. We were like, I see. Hold it like that.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Hold it like that.
Rob Lee:Casual that. We gotta get that. I can share people.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Exactly. So a lot of brainstorming. Everybody's voice is heard. Like, if you're in this room, your voice must be heard. I'm gonna ask you something because it's a way for me to grow, for you to grow, for us to all grow together.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So that's why I agree. Mhmm.
Rob Lee:Collaboration is is is so important with it. Yes.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It is. It is.
Rob Lee:You know, when I when I do this and I go through it, I'm like, yo, does this sound like trash? Did I ask different questions?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm. And,
Rob Lee:you know, just really wanting that that feedback and Mhmm. Knowing that, ultimately, I'm doing the sort of sign off of it. I still have to ask the questions. I'm still responsible for it, but sort of getting that that feedback from folks and and asking for it. And a lot of times, we don't get it.
Rob Lee:So to your point of having a strong team, a dream team, if you will, around you that you trust and it's like, hey, this is a good idea. Let's go with it.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:That that makes sense. That's that's that's that's riches right there. And, you know, especially, you know, when what you're producing, what you're making isn't just clothes. They're, you know, stories. Stories of culture, empowerment, and and art.
Rob Lee:You put a lot of meaning into your work and intentionality.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:You know, speak on, like, you know, that that importance of having the story and and what someone is wearing, like, why that is important.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I think, like, everybody wears clothes. That's the first thing. Like, everybody wears clothes. Some wear shorts, but everybody wears clothes. It won't form a way or the other.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And I feel like what you wear is like an expression of yourself. Not all just an expression of yourself. Sometimes it's just an expression of your day. Sometimes it's an expression of your mood. You know, some sometimes you're like, oh, I don't feel like doing much.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm just gonna throw on a tea and, you know, whatever. I just go out. Like, it's an expression of how you feel. And the same way from what you are like is from inside that you're bringing it outside. It's the same way sometimes from outside, it sits inside.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:There's sometimes that you wear some pieces and you feel so freaking good. They're like, nobody can talk to me. Like, nobody can tell me anything today. I look good. Like, nobody can spoil my mood.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Nobody can ruin my day. Nothing. Everything's gonna fly off me just because I'm wearing this piece. So I feel like, yes, definitely. Clothes are a way to empower yourself, give yourself confidence, to look good, to feel good, to gift yourself, to to encourage yourself.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I don't know if you are getting me. Are you getting me?
Rob Lee:I'm absolutely getting you. Like, I'll put it this way. When, like, today, you know, I've I've dropped some weight and I'm able to fit into some of my old fits, so I have you. And I had, like, this pretentious cardigan on I could not fit for the longest time, and I'm wearing it. My boss is like, that's a dope cardigan.
Rob Lee:I was like, I know this whole thing and I said it just like that. It's like the second time I've ever worn it and it it sat there for a while or even when I'm doing something like bouncing around out there in the community, I used to joke that I wear Carhartt all the time because I'm always working. And lastly, you know, it's a certain mood it goes on with. And lastly, I'll say, I, my my partner, she mentioned, she was like, yo, you're dressed like you're always down to do business. Like, again, she's like, not like in a pretentious you're wearing like a tuxedo when you shouldn't be wearing a tuxedo, more so like you're you could be coming from the gym to a podcast to work.
Rob Lee:You just had to wear the same fit, and it looks like it fits in each one of these things as utilitarian. And And I was like, I'm always in the mood, so it makes sense. It's not able to get so much done. It's like my fit is productive. Mhmm.
Rob Lee:I feel productive when I'm wearing it, so I definitely pick up what you're laying
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm. Yeah. I love that. I love that. That that that's exactly how it feels.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It's like, okay. What am I wearing today? What what does it mean? And how can I feel what it's meaning? And just like, let's put of us just have a collaboration.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Let me and my outfit have a collaboration together. Let let me give what the outfit is giving. Yes.
Rob Lee:So I I gotta say that and I touched on this before we got into the, you know, conversation in earnest, But, you know, I loved your looks at project Artscape at the end of last year, you know. Thank you
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:so much.
Rob Lee:Your your work was one, if not the highlight of the show, honestly.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Oh, thank you so much. Now the next thing is for you, Rob, to come visit my studio so I can make you something that's one of a time too, but let's continue the interview. Yeah.
Rob Lee:Abs absolutely. He he had a good time now. I hope we got enough fabric because there's a lot here. So so I'm curious, though. Like, could you describe, like, the feeling?
Rob Lee:Like like like, put us in your your your head as to, you know, you're you're about to have some looks go out there and it it may be the first time that they're being seen by an audience and it's like, I know I'm sweating bullets when I'm, like, yeah, I gotta go on stage? I gotta present my work to people? It's like a book report. You're, like, oh.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee:I didn't read that chapter. So tell me about the feeling when you're having some work that's that's gonna be seen, like, the work that you put this this meaning in, this effort, these long hours, and folks are seeing it. Talk about talk about that.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It's like it's I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm I I don't I'm not scared. It's not fear. It's just nerves.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm very nervous. I'm very anxious. I am hopeful at the same time. I'm hopeful that the story that I'm telling is being seen. The people see the story, see the way it is transitioning.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:They see the transitions. That that is one thing to, like, when I make pieces, some of them transform, and I hope that they see the transformation and they appreciate the effort that is put into it. And, and then at the end of it, I'm just joyful, joyful, grateful that it has happened is over. It's fine. I'm alright.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Nobody tripped off the stage, you know. It's
Rob Lee:It's like, oh. Oh, they look good. Yeah. They look good when he's done.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. And it was received well. And so at the end, it's just from nervousness all the way down to just gratefulness. That's that's usually, like, the entire thing. That's I'd be it's like a curve.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It starts like and then it comes back down. So that's the mix of feelings that happen. But I'm grateful I relieved at the end. Yeah.
Rob Lee:And and then speaking with feelings, like, obviously, I think, you know, I'm getting it from this and and and folks are getting it as they they listen to this. You know, having a good sense of humor, being able to laugh, I would imagine, it is is really helpful when you're you're you're making something. Like, it's a lot of effort. It's long hours, I'd imagine. And, like like I said, I I wear car hard and and dusty, like, legging sometimes.
Rob Lee:This is is that we out here. But when someone is making something that's bespoke or something someone's making something that has meaning, there's a gamut of feelings. And all of them can't be the serious ones. All of them can't be that you gotta be a little goofy sometimes. You gotta be a little laugh sometimes.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm. Yeah. Some yeah. I'm a, I'm an introvert. I was still saying today that I'm an introvert, but I know how to entertain myself.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like if I'm by myself. It's just or it's just like me. I'm someone that oh my goodness. I am very, very, very interesting. I'm an interesting person, but I'm quiet person.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So sometimes when I'm working, I talk to my sewing machine. I'm like, come on. Be it the way you're supposed to be. Sometimes, you know, we just have a good laugh here. Like, I, Tisha, I just have a good laugh.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Something crazy happens to the same or something crazy just happens that we have a good laugh. But sometimes it's just music. We don't listen to music often, but sometimes when we do, just, you know, to move on and let us feel good. Yeah. And then sometimes we just record ourselves.
Rob Lee:Well, and and that's the thing. Like, there there are times when and and I'm sure because like I said, having an editor, having someone to chop this stuff up because sometimes the recording button is on, and I'm talking to the recording of me before the interview. I'm, like, yo, Rob, why are you doing it this way? And I'm, like, yo, this is this is wild. It's, like, I I want my editor almost one time just to send me back a second file of all of my outtakes of me talking to my equipment.
Rob Lee:Mhmm. And just put it out there. It's like, yeah, I'm just talking to another artist. Me. That's that's the thinking.
Rob Lee:That's the thinking there.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:My goodness. No. Like, you told me your secret. Now I'm keeping it. I'm
Rob Lee:good. Someone's gonna be listening to you very intently. So at minute 51, you said this. Are you talking to the guest or yourself? Don't worry.
Rob Lee:You're right on it. All right. So I got I got like sort of 1, 2 more real questions before we get into these rapid fire questions because Now, I touched on it a bit earlier. Everyone has their go to style, and mine is that utilitarian and being productive. And, you know, we have a fit whether it's a sense of style, whether it's running an errand or night out.
Rob Lee:How would you describe your your personal style and perhaps how that personal style, like, blends into, like, and spills into your designs?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:My personal style is just boujee. I can't help it. It's just bougie. Like, I dress up sometimes. I'll be like, are you going to work?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I say, yeah. I'm going to work.
Rob Lee:That's great. I mean,
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:that's my best. I love I love I love feeling good. I love looking good. And so I love making other people feel and look good. So I'll say it's, like, it's, Afroluxury.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It is, it's giving business casual, it's giving formal, it's giving red carpets. So like it just sits in. It's like you you it's heavy. You know it's heavy. It has weights.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like like that's that's that's that's the vibe. You know, it's it's, yeah. It's giving one of a kind. It's giving I walk into a room and everybody look at me. That's that's how it is.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like that that is how I always like even when I dress down, it's still looking dressed up. I don't even try so hard. I'm like I'm not really trying.
Rob Lee:Like, I'm not at this. Hey, man. I was just a fan over there.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. I I I I dreamt of 1 time, and then someone was like, oh, wow. Wow. You look so so good. Is this new?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm like, No, this whole thing is 2021. I mean, it's 2021. But, you know, it's good. I'll see it. So so I'm like, that that that is it.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:It's like Afro luxury. It's bougie. I love bougie afro luxury. It's like, make me feel good. Let me look good.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Let everybody know that I look good. Let everybody know that I stepped into this place without me talking. Let me start conversations with what I wear. Like, I don't even say much. I just get in and everybody's like, oh, I love that.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Oh, no. And then it was conversation starts. Like, that that is it. That's really, period. Yeah.
Rob Lee:Love it. I love it. It's it's in there, and, I've gotten that with, like, accessories. Like I said, you know, you you've seen me, so it's just like I take up a fair amount of space. I'm like, yo, how can I blend in?
Rob Lee:But when I make those instances of look, I'm showing out right now. I heard, you know, I had this it was this New Year's, and I still look at it, it's this New Year's Eve party, and I wore like a burgundy suit which is one of my go to's. It's burgundy with, like, I think it was, like, a satin shirt. I was I was on 1. Mhmm.
Rob Lee:It's burgundy with the pinstripes, so it was just like like thin pinstripes, you know, you gotta look thin. And I was like, yo, this is this is what we're doing and I wanna be able to throw that on a bit more, that sort of aesthetic, without it feeling like because I like burgundy a lot. That's one of my colors.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay. Now I know. I'm gonna write it down. So for when you come in. Yeah.
Rob Lee:Yeah. That's that's that's sort of what it is. I call it the blood of my enemies. But, look. We out here.
Rob Lee:You you mentioned bougie. Mine's is Afro American. Smoke. So your your your your clothes also your your fashion also has is obviously it's a it's a mix of, you know, you know, African, like, iconography and techniques and sensibilities, but also global influence. How do you kinda weave both of those together?
Rob Lee:Because sometimes those the cultures can be very congruent at times and other times it's like, yo, these go together maybe in this way. So how do you kinda marry the 2, like, ideologies?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:How do I marry it? It's not like I I believe that my taste is heavy in some of the things that I create. It's like I see myself wearing this, and I think they go together. So it's gonna go together. And then I love to also push boundaries.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm like, people have not seen prints done in this way. I'm gonna do it just because, you know, maybe they don't know that it will go together. So let me show them that it does go together. So like when I mix like a, like a shiny futuristic fabric, can I put it with like adire, traditional adire? And I'm like, okay.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yes. See? It goes together. So it's like so that that, like, that is like the the the it's like my the way I want it to be, the way I would like to see it done. That's how like that like, that's that's just it.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like, it doesn't feel like, something difficult for me to do. It's just something that this is how I see it. This is how I think it will work, and I've not seen it out there before. So let me put it out there and see. You know, let's show people that it can be done.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:That that's mostly it. Yeah.
Rob Lee:It the science thing is in that though, you know, of here's my hypothesis.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay. Okay. Okay. I see everything.
Rob Lee:That's what that's what I'm no. No. That's what I'm thinking. Like, when you're you're saying, like, I believe that these things go together. You may not be, but this is my hypothesis.
Rob Lee:These go together. Now I'm gonna show you that they go together. Here's a trial.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. Tested. Yes.
Rob Lee:Tested. Yeah. Yeah. See, I I make these connections sometimes. I may have read a book once.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You got it.
Rob Lee:And so so here's here's the last last one, and this is maybe a little peek behind the curtain. So so what's something like super recently? We're recording this, this like in in February, you know, of 2024. What is something that you've seen recently that has sparked some interest, some creativity? It doesn't necessarily have to be something that fashion, but something that you're like, hey, I see this this flower, I see this, you know, building or you see something that you're like, I I'm curious about that shape.
Rob Lee:How would that look maybe in this format? How would like how it's something that has caught your eye that may show up in your work in the future?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Recently, I started looking at I I started thinking of umbrellas.
Rob Lee:Sure.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Like, you know, the way they shape out. And I was like thinking that, you know, I was just thinking of the shape of umbrellas, you know, the way they're like tiny, like small rectangles or small cones, is it cone or coney shape, something like that. And then they, they all, they all put together and then they have like this skirt, like an umbrella, like a skirt. Like when I think about it, it was like, if I wear it like this, like a skirt and then there are this, I on things that make it stack the way it's scanned. So if I make it as a skirt and I do put the iron things like the umbrella, it's going to look like an umbrella skirt.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:So, so that's something that just recently becomes my mentor that I'm playing with. And then recently I've been looking at trees. I've been looking at trees where the branches go, like what is making them stand, you know, how they can stand on like on a fabric or on a person, like the branches, like coming out like this. How would that look? I, I, I don't know yet, but that has been interesting to me.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And, what else? This is just those funny things that I just look at and I just see it's like, okay, how would this be like if I made it into fabric or if I made it into dress? And then another one, the beef before one, the most beef one is, this clay pattern, like, the way people use clay, like, to mold to mold and, like, what's it called? Polymat clay. With this polymat clay, it's like make vases and make wall art.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:And I'm like, I think I can interpret that with fabrics, like with cleats and tucks and all of that. And that's something that I really, really, really want to explore. Yeah.
Rob Lee:So we can look forward to umbrella references, trees, and, like, that's what that's what that's what it's coming for.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. So, yeah, she's going for that. And then this year, we're doing blazers. It's this is the we are redefining the power suits. That's what we're doing this year.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:We're redefining power suits. So, like, all these concepts are gonna put it into the past. So watch out for that watch out for that. Yeah.
Rob Lee:I mean, like I said, it comes from different places and and being able to see sort of, you know, the what is it? The, the art of noticing, the art of observation. Mhmm. The things that are around you is, like, I feel like a dress can mirror, like, a parasol, an umbrella, what have you.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:Yeah. It's it's great. It's great. Yeah. Alright.
Rob Lee:We we got it. We got the main we the main stuff. Now here's the rapid fire portion.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm ready.
Rob Lee:Are you? Yeah. Alright. So I I'll give you the same rundown I give everyone. You don't you don't wanna overthink these.
Rob Lee:These are sort of quick, you know, answers or what have you and that's it, you know, like what you what you said is what you said. That's kind of what it is.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay. Alright.
Rob Lee:So here's the first one. Tell us about, in in in 2 to 3 words, you know, giele, well, 2 to 3 words, what what what is it? Give us give us it give it to us, like, fashion, bougie. You're like, what
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:African authentic luxury.
Rob Lee:Alright. That's number 1. Number 1 down. Okay. You're doing well so far.
Rob Lee:Yeah. Now I I noticed it early. We made a few references and I listened to you. So what's your favorite superhero movie?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:The Spider Man.
Rob Lee:Alright. But okay, follow-up question.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Okay.
Rob Lee:Tom Holland or Toby or Andrew, which one?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Definitely Tom, the young boy, style young boy. And then I love the the Miles. I like I like Miles, but I don't know who Miles is, but I just like Miles in the, animation version of in fact, that's actually my favorite one, the animation of this Into the Spider Verse. That's my favorite.
Rob Lee:Because I mean, you know, I'm just saying, like, pretty tight. Is is there a textile material that you really wanna work with that you have not, like that either it's not available, that it's not cost prohibitive or it's it's cost prohibitive or what some whatever reason it might be, but you really wanna work with that you haven't worked with yet. Like, say steel or something. I wanna work with metal. Like, woah.
Rob Lee:Check mail. Wait. You put on armor.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Let me see. Let me see. Chains.
Rob Lee:Okay.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. Chains. Like, I'd like to work with, like, chains. Like, you know, the connecting chains then. Yeah.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:That would be interesting.
Rob Lee:I I I think it would be very interesting.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah.
Rob Lee:Alright. This is this is the last one. This is sort of the, you know, and and and I I I'll preface this. Some people, like, give you the very refined and crystal answer. I want something that I like weird answers.
Rob Lee:The rapid portion of the pod is for folks to be fun, you know. So what is something you could never get enough of?
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:My husband.
Rob Lee:It's a great answer. It's a great answer. He's listening to this. He's like, hell yeah. Damn right.
Rob Lee:You can't get enough of me.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'm gonna record this particular part and send it
Rob Lee:to you.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:I'll be like, see? I tell you. I love you. I love you. Kiss you right here, Bruce.
Rob Lee:We're we're recording this a day out of Valentine's day, by the way, which makes it even funnier.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Mind blown. Mind blown. That's it.
Rob Lee:That is great. And that's and that's pretty much it for the for the pod. So one, there's 2 things I wanna do. 1, I wanna thank you for coming on and spending some time with me. It's been Thank you.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Having me. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Rob Lee:And 2, 2, absolutely. And 2, we gotta we gotta do Shameless plugs. So I'm gonna give you the space and opportunities to, tell folks where they can check you out, your work, social media, website, all of that good stuff. The floor is yours.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Thank you all very much for watching so far. I appreciate you. My name is Yele. You can find me on all social media platform, yelestitches.com. Yele Stitches and the stitches as an extra t.
Abisola Yelé Oladeinde:Please don't forget that. Don't block our blessings. So YE Le Stitches on all social media platform. My website is ye l eystitches.com. And if you want to reach out to me through email, you can reach out to me at yeleyeleyeleystitches.com.
Rob Lee:And there you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Abasola Hola Diende for coming on to the podcast and sharing a bit of her journey with us and, telling us more about yelling. Yelling stitches, yelling, yelling, yelling. And I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just gotta look for it.
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