Titi Adesa is making moves. The emerging designer, who launched her luxury label in August 2019, has made her retail debut at Level Shoes in Dubai.
Starting today, her shoes will be available online, in stores and on the Level Shoes app.
“We are delighted to be launching the brand as a worldwide exclusive. The inspiration and story behind the brand really differentiate it from others in the market — we want to nurture and support Titi Adesa in telling her story,” Level Shoes buyer Julia Macrae said in statement.
The pharmacist-turned designer’s namesake brand has been gaining traction this year after Beyoncé included the company in a curated directory of Black-owned small businesses in July.
“From a business level as a [Black-owned] brand, there’s been an overwhelming amount of support. And as new brand, I’m glad. The awareness is incredible and I couldn’t have predicted it, but it’s not about supporting black-owned brands [for just right] now. It’s much bigger. Diversity is great but inclusion [needs to happen] at all levels,” she told FN during its Designer Revolution panel in September.
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To add to the brand’s socially-conscious appeal, its ethos also revolves around celebrating women. This summer, the designer launched the TA Foundation, aimed at empowering young girls living in underserved African communities, who aspire to build careers within the creative industry, through educational sponsorship and mentorship programs among other initiatives. And though Adesa is based in London and her shoes are handcrafted in Milan, she takes cues from her hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
Her latest collection, comprised of eight styles that are launching at Level Shoes, is titled “Hope.” The designer said she was inspired by her Nigerian heritage and the many hairstyles that are created and embraced in the country.
“In my Yoruba culture, a women’s hair is seen as her crown,” she said. “Traditionally, specific braiding styles were actually used to identify women of different tribes.” The influence can be seen on the Dídì (named after the hairstyle Dídì Eléwòó), a suede slide in fuchsia. It also comes in a sleek high-heeled pump version with an open back and braided leather ankle-ties, which wrap up the leg.
