September 30, 2024

OULA Celebrates 10 Years at Color of Fashion

the art of being present and honest with oula designer erika dalya massaquoi.

Erika Dalya Massaquoi is a multidisciplinary creative. As an artist, fashion designer, entrepreneur, writer and a mom, creating a fashion brand wasn’t an easy feat. Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, her brand OULA, available at Nordstrom, Shopbop, Liberty London, Wolf and Badger and Pendleton, continues to grow and gain recognition nationwide.

An 80-piece collection of African Wax fabric looks by OULA was on display at Color of Fashion on Friday, September 27, honoring Massaquoi’s journey and mission over the last decade to bring wearable and beautiful pieces to women who love fashion.

“I love doing OULA, it’s a privilege to create beautiful dresses,” said Massaquoi.

Located at Room & Board in Denver’s Cherry Creek North, the collection featured various colors and patterns in true OULA fashion. Some looks were staple pieces from Massaquoi’s repertoire over the years, while others were a fresh take on her use of African Wax fabric to create timeless, flattering and versatile dresses, blouses, skirts and even denim for the classy woman looking to elevate her style.

Stunning hair and makeup accompanied the looks. Models appeared with traditional African hairstyles like Braids, Bantu knots, Afros and more to tie OULA’s celebration of African culture together.

OULA is recognizable for many, especially after the brand was available in store and online at Nordstrom nationwide.

“People are beginning to collect them actually,” said Massaquoi. “I’ve always wanted that, it’s wearable art.”

However, Massaquoi’s current goal is to move from selling her pieces wholesale to focusing on more direct to customer channels like drop shipping, the process of fulfilling orders to a customer directly through a third party vendor.

“I am grateful for that time [in Nordstrom] because it created brand awareness for us, not only in better women’s wear but in luxury as well,” she added.

As a mom to a teen girl, Massaquoi’s role as a designer and the owner of her brand has shifted. Her daughter is an avid horseback rider and is building a community at the barn and in school that requires a lot of Massaquoi’s attention. Juggling her multiple roles as a mom and entrepreneur isn’t always easy.

That doesn’t mean she ever plans to give up. In this new decade of OULA, Massaquoi is learning to pivot her priorities to obtain the best outcome for herself, her family and her brand.

“This pivot I think for me has more to do with the lifestyle, what I want for myself in just getting older and settling down,” she said. “I don’t want to always be anxiety ridden about the work, I don’t always want to have Sunday scaries. I want to work hard but I want to work easy.”

Part of that pivot was presenting a stunning collection at Color of Fashion’s Season IV: Mélange runway show. In an evening entirely dedicated to OULA, Massaquoi presented looks that are fit for any occasion, any woman’s body and will stand the testament of time.

“I am very particular when it comes to my personal style, which I feel is represented in what OULA is,” she added, as the looks displayed on the runway were not only true OULA pieces but a nod to Massaquoi’s own style and love of high fashion.

“Making beautiful things, I never get tired of that,” Massaquoi expressed. “Gorgeous things make me excited, like having a beautiful life and creating a beautiful time and for women to feel so beautiful and empowered in it, it makes them so happy.”

While beauty is an important theme for OULA, quality has always been a priority for Massaquoi as well. She worked with local seamstresses on this collection to create handmade garments that will stand firm and are meant to be worn and loved at the same time.

Quality is crucial especially in the fashion industry today. With so many brands and designers trying to break into the industry and as consumer habits are leaning towards affordability and accessibility more and more, OULA remains constant in the product created and sold. That doesn’t mean it’s been easy.

“It’s a really interesting time in fashion right now, there’s so much talent but what is trickling down in what we can buy isn’t great product,” Massaquoi explained. “At the end of the day, this is business for everyone, so anyone who is doing anything unique, anything luxury driven, anything that is made in the USA… it’s a tough time and it’s a tough business.”

Entering a new decade of OULA, Massaquoi plans to be intentional about what’s next for herself and the brand.

“I want to have the time and space to teach more,” she shared. “Or be in the space where I can contribute knowledge based on my lived experience.” She continues to brainstorm and seek funding options and opportunities and hopes to stay on track developing partnerships with brands, like her upcoming collaboration with Pendleton, to put OULA on the map in a variety of ways. She is also staying mindful about how her journey can be translated into giving back to her community and the fashion industry.

For Massaquoi, “the journey is important but what can you learn from it? How can you pay it forward?”

By educating the industry and her customers on the use and wearability of African Wax fabric, Massaquoi is giving back in a meaningful way.

“There was a time when people didn’t understand African Wax fabric,” she said. “Something has changed in the culture and that’s not happening anymore, people want it now. Something has shifted.”

When asked what makes juggling her reality as a designer, entrepreneur and mother feel worthwhile, Massaquoi’s response ties back to her identity as an artist:

“Working with something that is culturally important, the work is bigger than me,” she said. “You don’t do it for the money, that’s not why we do these things. You do it because you have something to say in the art design realm.”

Find OULA at theoulacompany.com.

Hair Lead: Keva Morris

VonRose Hair Design @kevadeva

Co Lead: James Mucker Utopia Salon @yjameswhy

Hair/Makeup Team:

Sharae Smith @Sharaeapril

Riley Jay @rileythebarberstylist

Erika Mares @erikanicolehair5280

Raya J @raya_lyn

Stephanie Fugazzi @stephanie.fugazzi_hair

Blair Vigneron @blair_does_hair

Tanaya Takahashi @tanaya_takahashi