ONALAJA IS EXPANDING SIZE INCLUSIVITY FROM NIGERIA TO THE WORLD

By: Hillary LeBlanc

The choice to expand the sizing of a brand is not always easy. With additional sizing comes additional costs, manufacturing hurdles, and the question of how much stock to create. For designer Kanyinsola Onalaja, founder of brand Onalaja, size inclusivity was never up for debate.

Onalaja was inspired to draw by her mother, which led to pursuing fashion school in Rome and London. She returned home to Nigeria to build her brand with a focus on her heritage, storytelling, hand-embroidery and stunning textiles. Before beginning Onalaja, the founder worked in luxury and saw that most brands were not size inclusive. At one point, even she herself could not fit in the clothes she was selling. Being Nigerian, Onalaja was used to an industry led by customization, tailoring which meant altering for size-inclusivity can be a case by case basis. “In the UK you are taught to work in standard sizing, but that standard size only stopped at like a 12 or 14 for most luxury brands. We wanted to find that sweet spot. We have sizing from XXS all the way to a 5XL but within that we do still allow that custom element.”

Founder Kanyinsola Onalaja / Source: ONALAJA

To achieve the size range, Onalja has endeavoured to create garments that fit most with the XXS to 5XL range while also using garments with stretch to allow for weight fluctuations. The founder tells us she has had clients buy dresses and wear them before, during and after pregnancy because of the stretch materials used. The founder herself has an autoimmune disorder which meant her own weight has fluctuated and she wanted to be the kind of brand she herself felt was missing in the market. 

Size inclusivity was also a conscientious choice for Onalaja as a Nigerian brand and woman. For Onalaja, her Nigerian female clients do tend to be wearing medium to larger sizes. The nature of her dresses, which she describes as beaded statement occasion wear, also appeal to Latin American clients, and Arab women who can range into curvier sizes. Onalaja has created a big enough understanding of her client base to know in what regions which sizes are more likely to sell. As Onalaja produces small order quantities, there is no concern for producing mass amounts of any sizes that may not be worn, or will sit as unused stock. From the production side, Onalaja does share that adding extended sizing comes at an additional cost, but one that the company absorbs because of the importance of being size inclusive.

Source: ONALAJA

In line with being size inclusive and body positive, most elements of Onalaja pieces are customizable. Before placing an order, customers can email to request changes in colours, changed necklines, added or removed sleeves and even different skirt lengths. They have also offered specific retailers exclusive colours. Onalaja feels that the brand is in the perfect range of demi-couture, allowing for customization but within their style constraints so they are able to stay true to their brand, vision and ethos.

Onalaja is excited to be part of London Fashion Week and plans to show their latest collection and size inclusive styles with a range of models on one of the world’s largest fashion stages. The Onalaja show will be September 20th.