The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

bitefashion Giedre Jackyte interviewed Fresh by Dotun designer Adedotun Adeyeye and learns about his journey to becoming a renowned African designer. cities, and London is one of my fa- vourites because of its classics and cultural diversity.” In the creative and designing pro- cess, the designer prefers sketching as it helps him to generate ideas, uti- lise his creative skills, and feed his imagination. Black is the designer’s favourite colour to work with since it is universal. “It is classic and ver- satile; matches with other colours, makes [them] appear brighter, and is perceived as sleek. Black is Excel- lence!” His favourite fabrics are cot- ton, linen and wool because they are natural and breathable. Construct- ing the pieces can take hours or days, depending on the complexity of the design. The finest clothing, excellent fabric quality, first-class stitching, and threading are vital. "The first article of clothing I designed was a shirt I bought and had it altered to change the look.” Adedotun first puts his visual in- spiration board together when pre- paring for a fashion shoot or show. He then chooses the right location, selects suitable models and starts preparing his team before they’re ready to shoot. His favourite female model is Naomi Campbell, whom he describes as “a woman of many firsts who paved the way for black mod- els.” His favourite male model is Da- vid Gandy, whom, he says, “has this unique charm and is one of the most successful models who started de- signing his range of menswear.” The designer would love to style P Did- dy, Barrack Obama, Anthony Joshua and Prince Harry in the future. As the brand owner with a global perspective, Adedotun is inspired by various designers worldwide. We sought his advice to aspiring creatives who would love to have their fashion label. “Learn the fun- damentals, explore the works of great designers, and love what you do.” He further added they should not expect profit or instant success in the early years. “Just be original, be creative, and constantly improve on your craft; your gift will pave the way for you.” https://freshbydotun.com Photography by Tony Wellington