Uk-based Nigerian Fashion journalist Odunayo (Ayo) Ojo, popularly known as Fashion Roadman, has successfully built a successful YouTube channel amassing over 90,000 subscribers and 3 million views on his YouTube channel. The creative dissects fashion industry news and topics, providing insights and analysis to fashion newcomers.
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Last year, the 24-year-old launched a print magazine that sold out on the first day, this year, he landed a highly-coveted Vogue spotlight. In this interview with Vogue’s runway writer Luke Leitch, Odunayo shares his childhood experience, navigating living between Lewisham in London and Nigeria, and how he got his alias.
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Read excerpts from the interview below.
On growing up and how he got his moniker:
I was always the weirdo wearing yellow skinny jeans, Nike Dunks, a silver studded belt and white shutter shades. I would dress weirdly. l had these people saying ‘You’re a Fashion Roadman’, which was a way of saying, ‘You’re dressing differently’. So, I took it and made it a name — even though Roadman basically means ‘gangster’.
On creating long-form journalistic commentary in video and not written form:
YouTube works because it is engaging. People who wouldn’t read the article will watch the video in which they listen to you speaking and be able to see the exact runway look you are talking about. It’s easier and more engaging for people who are new to fashion to watch the video rather than read the article.
Click here for the full Vogue feature.