By Yemisi Suleiman

The fashion industry is such a big industry where a whole lot of careers can be found. From fashion models, pattern drafters, fashion designers to fashion illustrators, the list goes on. One of the intriguing fashion careers is fashion illustration.

Although, fashion illustration and illustrators are not so popular as their counterparts such as fashion designers, fashion models in the industry.

However, some Nigerian fashion illustrators are now taking fashion illustration to stardom through groundbreaking sketches.
One of such groundbreaking illustrators is Oluwasegun Benedict Ajibola (OBA).

Known for his unique sketches; OBA can be referred to as a highly talented fashion illustrator with an adept passion and drive for fashion drawing. The reason for this is not far-fetched.

His works feature use of aesthetic prints and vibrant colours and this explains the uniqueness of his works.

For years of his practice, he has continually proven the professionalism of his fashion arts through his mastery of traditional art tools (pencil and ink sketch), collage and water paints, as well as digital fashion illustration such as the use of 3d in mapping out and curating ideas into drawings.

Influenced by his background as an African man of the Nigerian stock, OBA’s illustration prominently reveals artistic and aesthetic heritage of diverse cultures in the country. The craftsmanship, class, and chic exuded hy his drawings are bold testaments to his 12 years of professional fashion illustration.

Through fashion illustration, he has garnered a number of collaborations from fashion industry players such as Ade Bakare ( a foremost Nigerian-British fashion designer), Evioghene Jesumuyiwa (Lead Creative Director of Airvy Bridal Fashion) among others. This is a reason I see him as an accomplished fashion illustrator.

OBA’s works have proven that the place of fashion illustration in communicating and visualising fashion ideas and concepts is paramount in fashion industry. As long as fashion would exist, the fashion industry will always be in constant need of traiblazer as OBA who through creative expertise sketches illustrations that materialise into real designs or outfits