Check Out David Odunola’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Odunola.

Hi David, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m David, 23 years old as of this interview. My story started when I was born in a city called Abuja in West Africa, Nigeria. From a young age, I was always a curious kid, I just wanted to know how things worked and why, the process behind certain essential functions. I’m going to talk about my parents and my upbringing for a bit, which will make sense and put together why I’m here and the way I am today.

My Dad was big on music. I have flashbacks sometimes of being in the car with my dad, and he’s playing some Fela Kuti or King Sunny Ade and we used to go on a lot of road trips back then, so music was always on blast either in the car or just at home in the mornings. And he’s also a pastor, so the concept of Christianity and following a faith has always been ingrained in me from birth.

On the other hand, my mum was a real fashionista, I mean like styling and designing all of that for real. She had a shop with tailors/seamstresses where she made garments out of African-style fabrics. I used to love going there to spend time at her shop; I would miss school or lie about being sick just to spend the day with her in her shop, always messing around with the sewing machine. Back then in Nigeria, it was like a real mechanical machine, not these electric ones now. I pretty much learned how to sew from there and other little designing factors like sketching and understanding fabric and texture.

When I was done with university, my parent brought me to America in 2018 to chase a medical degree and become a doctor, but at that time I wasn’t really interested in the medical line. I just wanted to do something else, Medical school sounded so boring and draining at the time. So I told them I wanted to take a year to just like really figure out what I wanted to do, which if you know any African home is a big deal. So after a bunch of arguments and various family meetings about me not knowing what I was doing with my life, they left me alone.

One thing I knew from when I came to LA is I definitely wanted to do something fashion-related, In fact when I got my first job that a friend of my dad hooked me up with as a security guard, I used my first paycheck to get a sewing machine. Most exciting day of my life for real, I was sewing up anything I could find in the house.

But fast forward, I also modeled a bit, so I met a guy known as “Joy_divizn” on Instagram, and I modeled for his brand then I started hanging out with them and for the first time, say the inside process of how a streetwear brand is run in LA. Also being the curious and inquisitive person I am, I asked questions about everything and anything.

I gathered so much information, I mean how to get blanks, how to screenprint, and where to get screens made. All that was left was to do graphic design and with everything I set my mind to do, I hit up YouTube and studied everything I could, still working as a security guard I gathered up some money and got a laptop.

I knew the type of fashion design and apparel production I wanted to go into. It wasn’t really screen-printed shirts, but I knew I had to start somewhere to at least get my brand off the most accessible way possible. At the time too I was always on YouTube watching interviews of some of my favorite designers like Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Virgil Abloh, and Kanye. I know the Kanye thing is kind of controversial, but he’s a really good designer and really inspirational too. So I started to look deep into these designers, study them, and learn everything about design language and how to create garments that tell stories and a narrative. So I knew I wanted to make garments and then discovered this awesome place called the fashion district, downtown LA, and that became my home.

I started my first brand in 2020 called “AFTERWARDS” which told a narrative of the “past, present & future” of Art and Fashion. I ran it for a couple of months dropped t-shirts every month, and started growing a following. I actually started releasing free shirts at first, just to gather the kids. Then I got approached by some “investors” who promised a bunch of things like runway shows and stockists, after working with them for some months I realized it was not working out. They basically started to control what I made and how I made them, trying to use cheap alternative fabrics and sell them at a higher price point. I started getting unhappy and fashion started feeling like a job, and that started getting to me, there was really no creative freedom and you hear that all the time and you really don’t know what it means but it’s a real thing. As a designer or a creative in general, your creative freedom is who you are really. So long story short I had to leave that union and basically dissolved the company.

A year later, after going to fashion school and learning pattern-making and industrial tailoring. I started my name on the same brand, which I like to call a project, “Project-David”. It was different cause now I have some level of experience, I’m not starting how I started out before I knew to an extent what worked and what didn’t. Kind of how I watched Virgil in an interview say how to get that one successful brand and not be scared to start over again, which is what I did.

Project-David started in 2021, which is basically my version of a namesake brand. It is really a space for me to create what I want, how I think, and my personal views on various subjects and topics. And like everything, there has to be DNA, and there has to be a language, but again I learnt from my many studies and interview watching that a design language is majorly formed over time and not rushed, which is the mistake I sort of made with my first brand, from the jump I gave it a meaning and a single narrative, which is not a bad thing, but it sort of limits your creativity also and boxes you in.

So with Project David, there’s creative freedom and I can either speak on or tackle any subject or topic. At the moment the brand identity is leaning towards a Christian but edgy aesthetic, which is just the narrative/topic I’m interested in right now.

But as of today November 06, I’m working on a collection after a four-month break just to re-up on ideas and catch up on other aspects of life, and also learn new things. I’m working on a winter capsule collection and will continue monthly releases.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road, I don’t think anything significant comes from a smooth road you know! It has to have its ups and downs. A major struggle was the financial aspect of things, money to run and keep running the business, especially when I was making free items or not selling as much as I aimed for; those are all down moments.

Another struggle was finding the right people, and that means everything to me! The right team, the right support system, the right model for a photo/video shoot, the right person to source good blanks from, the right seamstress and pattern maker. Finding the “right” is another struggle anyone starting out a brand is going to go through.

And also definitely another struggle that’s not really talked about is, not giving up. Because there are times when it’s all going to look like a waste of time, no one going to support you, people are going to laugh at what you’re doing and basically tell you to stop cause… oh, it’s a saturated market, there’s no new idea anymore so don’t do it, or even get called a copy-cat at some point.

But with all these struggles what I always say to myself is, if it’s true and real to me that’s all that matters. Sure, it’s not easy, but it’s a step at a time.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Fashion Designer, I do not specialize in anything, cause I try to dabble in everything that piques my interest. I am known for having somewhat dark and mysterious designs.

At the moment I am most proud of how far I have come in this. It’s been a long, crazy journey.

“What sets me apart from others?” The truth is I don’t really focus on that and I just make and do what seems right to me to do. And I guess that’s what sets me apart from others.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Yes, I consider myself a risk-taker. From the jump, pursuing fashion instead of going to medical school is one of the biggest risks one can take in life you know! Instead of facing a more definitive career path, you choose to go on a more rocky and unsure way; that’s a big risk!

Also, I believe we should all take risks obviously, everyone won’t be able to cause of different circumstances/ situations in life. But the reality is if you want to live a little, take risks.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.project-david.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/project__david/