STAYING AT HOME with Nifemi Akindeji and Atelier Viridia

Nifemi Akindeji is the conductor who continues to bring together her brilliant orchestra of exceptionally creative talents to produce the colorful symphony that is Atelier Viridia.

The latest landmark in her journey to becoming herself was her discovery of purpose, self-belief and identity, all of which now propel her to confidently interlock vibrant cultural inspirations with her luminous personality for the sole purpose of composing signature garments and products. 

Doing the work of building Atelier Viridia and its subsidiaries helps her unify a lot of truths; that the power to construct your desired reality resides in your own hands, that betting on yourself always pays off and that giving back is a catalyst for eventual communal growth.

In a brand new exclusive STAYING AT HOME interview, the divinely-directed artist and designer opens up about her journey and more. 

NV:  Tell me about how you grew up?

NA: I grew up in Ibadan, lived all my years in Ibadan and went to the same Primary and Secondary school in Ibadan. I think all my life I've always wanted to be a creative and  I've always been in the creative scene. Right from when I was twelve I already started doing internships at different places. I know I did two different internships at Myworldofbags, I learnt how to do makeup professionally, and I had internships with design houses where I'd just be like a runner and help with errands for the duration of the summer or Christmas or whatever it was. 

Growing up I was very much still the way I am right now. I've always been kinda hands-on and always getting my hands on something. I started crocheting when I was 10 years old.

NV:  Were your parents always supportive of your creative endeavors?

NA:  They’ve always embraced it and known I was a creative from the start so yeah they embraced it and always told me to chase my dreams.

NV:  How did you get into crocheting?

NA: So funny enough my cousin knew how to crotchet and we used to spend so much time with them when we were younger. I just looked at her and thought if she can do it so can I. 

I went on YouTube and just sat with it to learn how to do it. So I'm basically self-taught. I kept on with it for the longest time but there were times when I didn't crotchet but I always found myself going back to it even if it was to make a bag or just make something. I always wanted to do something.

NV:  Why do you think that is?

NA: Like I said for as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a creative so you’d literally find me picking apart things in the house and trying to put them back together or like just trying to create something.  I think I can’t stay in one place like  I’m very restless so I’m always trying to do something. Obviously, everybody needs a break from things at certain times and I always took a break but I  always came back because I needed to be doing something.

NV:  How did you make that transition from crocheting as a skill to using that skill to build a brand? 

NA: I started something very similar to Viridia in 2021 right after I finished high school and it was called Hooked. When I started it then, I started with no knowledge of what I actually wanted for the brand visionwise. I didn’t really have a vision for Hooked and I started it with somebody. I just felt like at the time we both didn’t know what we wanted for the brand and there was also just an unseriousness to me because I would like to say that I just hadn’t found myself so there was just no point in running a brand and I shut it down. Fast-forward to A-levels, part of the ending of A-levels for me was me finding myself because I was in a phase of my life where I wasn’t feeling the best about myself or about anything. After I was done with Hooked, I started realizing that there was so much more that I wanted for myself, for my name or just me being in the world because I felt like another part of me being in the journey was just me finding God and also realizing being on earth is not just to satisfy myself. There’s so much more to life and much more to even just business. When I had the idea to start a new brand, I remember just sitting in my room and talking to God and saying  “Yeah I want to start a brand but what do you want me to do? It’s not about me anymore. It’s not just about me making money or whatever"

I’ve always wanted to go back into the community and teach. Currently, I teach kids how to crochet because I love being around kids and I’ve always thought about the fact that I started this brand just because I know how to crotchet and I can make money off it and this all started with me deciding to pick this up at the age of 10.  I thought to myself if I can teach these kids how to crotchet and when they grow up they turn out to be business-minded and they’re like “Oh I can make money off this without having to wait for a more conventional job” then I will definitely do that.

I kept thinking of how to incorporate all of that into a brand. I got a better vision of what I wanted for myself and for the brand and part of that was just about doing something notable; not just for making money or topping sales charts but also for doing something good and valuable. That’s why I started Viridia. 

NV:  I want to talk about community. How important was your community of friends and family when you were just starting out with Viridia?

NA: I think first of all, highlighting the fact that like I said initially I didn’t believe in myself or have the same self-confidence that I have right now. I think starting off was a bit rocky because I had started a brand before and the one thing that was running through my mind was “People are just going to think you’re starting and starting and starting again" but  I realized that it doesn’t matter how many times you start over as long as you’re doing what you want to do and I can’t lie I kind of relate everything to the centre which is God.  One thing that was much more prominent back then compared to right now was how I wasn’t really reading my bible but I started reading it again and in my head, it started to click that  God doesn’t care about how many times I have to start things over. What’s important is that whatever it is I am doing is of good value so I just had to tell myself that it doesn’t matter who is even going to say anything. What matters is that you’re doing this for you.  At the time my circle was very tight so the people around me were people who were either adding to my life very positively or just acting as support systems and that really did help me because I had my phases where I kept doubting and wondering whether I should be doing this but I had my best friend reassuring me and my siblings have always been very supportive as well as my friends.  Having the right people around you is so important.

NV:  I'd like to know how you're able to explore different aspects of creative expression

NA: I think secondary school kind of forced that so if you come into my studio you’d see all my portraits, sketches, and paintings. My uncle was a photographer and he used to live with us so I would go and shoot with him and he would teach me how to take pictures. I’ve always kind of danced around in different fields and I've always resonated with fashion design much more but photography is something I’ve very much liked for the longest time and wanted to do something with. 

The inspiration behind Nifemi the designer I would always say is culture because even right now I can’t read anything that is not African literature. I’m always trying to come back to my roots because all I know is Nigeria; where I’ve been and where I’m from. Also in Nigeria, we play around with a lot of vibrant colours like we can see in Aso Ebi that people wear when they’re going to parties. I’ve always been in that colourful scene and that’s why I always say I relate it back to culture.

For Nifemi the stylist I think that just comes naturally with the job because I think part of being a fashion designer is also being a stylist; you need to put the pieces together in your mind and picture how it’s going to be worn before you even make it.

I didn’t have a lot of style growing up but at some point, I decided that I was going to make my outfits and me making my own outfits means it's very much unique to me and that’s how I want people to feel when they’re wearing the outfits I design; that they’re not going to step out and see just anyone wearing what they have on. It’s unique.

NV:  How do you feel when you’re in the process of creating work or a new piece?

NA: I would say now, like when I create right now, what goes through my head is I need to get this over and done with just because this year I want to put a lot more stuff out and I want people to properly understand what I am trying to make Viridia to be.

NV:  Which is?

NA: Think of institutions such as Garmspot and ASOS. Essentially, a retail service for VRDA, which is the crotchet brand, and for other brands as well. Right now Viridia as a retail store we’ve got VRDA and Green&Grey. Green&Grey is a whole other brand by a whole other person whose products are being sold via Viridia's platform.

What I’m trying to do with Viridia is give people a bigger platform that they probably didn’t think they'd have. So I don’t want my platform to benefit just me but other brands as well. That’s what I’m trying to do with Viridia and also just to help out because starting out on your own is not easy. 

NV:  Who would you like to see wearing VRDA? 

NA: Ayra Starr

NV:  Dream collaboration?

NA: Kai Collective because I am absolutely in love with Fisayo. Her growth is crazy and she makes really great pieces. Also, one collaboration I would want is with a brand called Oscar de la Renta. They’re a very high-end brand, God knows how I’ll get that. I’ve just always been in love so definitely them. 

NV:  What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt so far?

NA: The number one thing I would say is to follow your passion. I say this because I started with no capital and no customer base. Like I would always say I started with my passion and a word from God and I think that’s the most important thing. 

The second thing is whatever it is you believe in, hold on dear to that. A good part of my whole growth and journey is honestly having that faith that God said I should start this and God has my back so I know I can’t fail.

Number three would be never be afraid to start over. Starting over doesn’t mean you failed, it just means there’s more work to be done.

I think the biggest lesson I learnt is that not everybody is your person and you just have to get used to that.

NV:  Designers, stylists, creatives or anyone in particular that you are/ continue to be inspired by?

NA: My very first Inspiration is Betsey Johnson. I like her because you could see a lot of her in her pieces without even having to ask questions. Her work exuded a lot of her personality. She was crazy and very much expressive and the fact that she could put so much of herself in any individual piece was what really drew me to her. 

Style-wise it would be Dunsin Wright.

Creators I think for a huge part would be Raliabeads and Korty. 

NV:  What part of you do we get to see in your work?

NA: I would say my confidence because I believe to wear my pieces you need to have some sort of confidence due to the fact that there’s a lot of skin showing.

I’d also say you can see my interest in culture. I’m trying to infuse more African textiles and textile-making practices into the production of my pieces and I’ve put out a few things that show a mix of Ankara and crotchet because I’ve always thought about the fact that when you’re going to a motive, you’d never really think about wearing Ankara but if there’s somebody that’s making the same things that you would wear in Ankara but more innovatively and stylishly, you’d want to wear your cultural wear to different places. 

NV:  What do you have planned for 2024?

NA:  I can be very Spontaneous. I say this because I tend to do a lot of things without a super-structured plan. That’s just because I have so much faith and I know I’m going to make it. Somehow Somehow. I also really feel like I am walking on a directed path.

This doesn’t mean I don’t have plans. I definitely want to work towards making the vision of Viridia clearer.