Meet Niyi (he/him)

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Creative Director and founder of @postimperial based in Harlem. He's a Nigerian-born American fashion designer and believes that Africa is one of the last frontiers for new ideas. He took some time to share with us his work and what Support means to him.

For me “support” is being able to rely on a community, whether big or small. In times of struggle and in times of joy.

My friend Yegwa has been a great support from a business and personal standpoint. His former store was one of the first retail accounts. And he has been a great sounding board regarding the vision I have for Post-imperial. But most importantly, he has been an eternal friend who I can call to vent to about trivial things during ungodly hours.

The biggest challenge has been trying to build a proof of concept and still trying to prove to people that the concept works.

My uncle once told me to “Go with the Goers.” This quote has been my North Star. I feel that for BIPOC, the best way to find ourselves out of these types of oppressive systems is by building alternative spaces and platforms for ourselves. In doing so, we will find our kindred, and we will build solid communities that Nassim Nicholas Taleb describes as Anti-Fragile.

I was born in Nigeria and moved to the US at 14. I am a product of both countries. Nigeria helps me to connect to the African diaspora, while America allows me to deconstruct and translate cultural references from that diaspora in ways that the global village will understand.

I believe in alternative realities. And a monoculture doesn’t allow for alternative realities to exist. DEI is paramount to giving us an opportunity to exist in many spaces at the same time.

Because it is also part of the story of humanity. That story is not dynamic without the inclusion of BIPOC.