New designers pop up everyday and quite a few of them are undoubtedly talented. We’ve had our eyes on quite a few up and coming brands and we will be highlighting some of the major on-the rise- brands you need to know in the Discover series.
I needed a legacy, one that would be created with love and passion every step of the way, one that my son and I could be proud of.
BNS: On why she started her line
TB: I started 2207byTBally brand on the 1st of November 2016 after closing down my boutique due to the inflation in the country.
The birth of my son changed a lot of things for me, I often hear about people’s epiphanies brought on by significant life occurrences, and yes I know it sounds cliché but this is what happened to me. Oba’s birth woke me up, I needed to do more with what I had, and after a few months with family in London, I came back to Nigeria with a fresh mission, I needed a legacy, one that would be created with love and passion every step of the way, one that my son and I could be proud of; inflation in Nigeria was also a catalyst; something has to push you out of your comfort zone.
2207byTBally was born, my son’s date of birth is 22/07. I have always felt that Nigeria has a lot to offer, so I decided that I would create a women’s wear brand and it was going to be one of the gems Nigeria has to offer; 2207byTBally was going to be made in Nigeria with everything sourced in Nigeria.
BNS: On the favourite celebrity she’s dressed and her thoughts on the influencer economy.
TB: I have been opportuned to dress quite a lot of celebrities that I admire, I would also love to dress Tiwa Savage as I’m such a huge fan. I love, love Kelly Rowland and Victoria Beckham’s style inspires me. Her designs are chic, posh, simple and classy which is what we preach at 2207. There are quite a lot of them that I like, I won’t mind working with Chicamastyle and IronyofAshi.
BNS: Who is the 2207byTBally woman?
TB: 2207byTBally is the everyday Nigerian woman, who takes pride in her appearance, and values her stylistic expression; all designs are put together with her in mind.
BNS: Where do you go for style inspiration?
TB: I draw influence from a plethora of sources, Africa, Nigeria in itself is so rich in colours, shapes, culture, the streams of inspiration are forever abundant, just take a walk through the streets of Lagos and see how alive it is with styles that tell different stories; a buffet of expression that invites me to select and create my own interpretations. I am well travelled and when abroad I immerse myself in the different cultures, all the time learning and searching for inspiration; taking their cuts, colours and textures and telling my own stories through my designs in my home country; this is the essence of 2207byTBally.
BNS: How would you describe your label?
We design products with the 2207 woman in mind, from the colours, the cuts, the sizes etc. Our fabrics are sourced from the best fabric merchants in the country and we use the best hands to ensure that our products are well made. We have successfully created a unique look that is synonymous to the 2207 woman. Our designs are very simple yet classy and definitely stands out.
BNS: What do you believe should be the foundation of every woman’s wardrobe?
TB: I believe every woman should be comfortable in whatever they wear. Don’t go for what’s in vogue, go for what suits your body type and what you can wear confidently. And also we all need that LBD (little black dress) in our wardrobes. No one can go wrong with that, that bottles it up to the “comfortability” aspect of clothing.
Who: Tolu Bally, Creative Director of 2207byTBally.
What: Classic yet edgy womenswear.
Where: Follow them on Instagram @2207byTBally
Are you a fan of 2207byTBally ? If you’d like to be featured or there is a brand you think we should feature email style [at] bellanaija dot com. We’d love to hear from you!
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