Since its founding in 2019, CelinaRob has provided women a means of expressing their femininity with confidence and glamour.
CelinaRob dresses employ a variety of fabrics that transcend cultural boundaries and embody diversity while presenting the creative vision of designer and founder Rebecca Bolou Owotorufa. Describing her vision, Rebecca shared:
When a woman envisions heaven, she sees a life where she is completely free to express herself. One of the expressions a woman cherishes most is beauty. CelinaRob is a tribute to the woman’s heavenly desire for beauty on earth.
Rebecca is more than a fashion designer; she is a storyteller, a visionary, and a voice that empowers and celebrates the feminine beauty heritage. A heritage that transforms our world from a black-and-white landscape to one filled with the colours of a rainbow.
As CelinaRob’s creative director, Rebecca channels her life experiences and reflections into designs that go beyond the ordinary.
Her journey to fashion is as compelling as her designs.
Hailing from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Rebbeca witnessed firsthand how the natural beauty of the region was marred by environmental damage caused by regulated and unregulated crude oil exploitation. Black soot obscured the colours of the sky and mixed with rain, exacerbating oil spills that affected the land, rivers, and sea.
This damage impacted not only the environment but also the lives of its people. The increase in violence in Port Harcourt, Bayelsa, and other major areas of the Niger Delta is a consequence of this lost natural beauty, a burden that weighs heaviest on women.
As a Philosophy major at Niger Delta University in Bayelsa, Rebecca became aware of the impact that environmental pollution has on mental and physical well-being, especially for women, who hold beauty close to heart. This realisation drove her to create beauty. She left home with little more than ambition, a sense of purpose, and dreams that wouldn’t let her rest.
Teaching herself to sew, she began transforming fragments of fabric into creations that reflected her vision of nature’s beauty. In a short time, Rebecca evolved from a young woman with big dreams to the founder of a brand that captivates customers seeking not just style but a story.
CelinaRob’s latest collection, OPUERE, embodies this journey of growth and beauty awareness. In the ljaw language of the Niger Delta, “OPUERE” translates to “big woman,” a term that, in Rebecca’s hands, speaks to presence, strength, elegance, and beauty.
Each piece in the collection represents a woman who has transcended her past, carrying herself with a deep, self-assured poise. It’s a celebration of transformation and a tribute to women who present beauty as strength and heritage.
In a meaningful act of giving back, CelinaRob’s OPUERE collection was recently showcased at the Global Diabetes Initiative in Wolverhampton, England, raising funds for educational support for children in Cameroon affected by diabetes. This collaboration exemplifies how Rebecca’s work continues to bridge fashion with purpose, creating positive change beyond the world of design.
Rebecca’s journey is as inspiring as the pieces she creates.
CelinaRob is more than a brand; it’s a legacy in the making. Through each collection, Rebecca tells a story of feminine heritage, courage, and self-discovery, a story that resonates deeply with anyone who understands the power of beauty to effect positive change in the lives of individuals and communities.
