Much more than meets the eye
In his own words: NYC-based menswear influencer and photographer Steven Onoja
STEVEN Onoja is more than just his clothes. Don’t get me wrong, the man has style, and there’s no doubt that a significant portion of his identity comes from dressing up and looking sharp. But, learning of his talents apart from fashion and hearing the story of his journey from Nigeria to his home in New York, it becomes abundantly clear that the artist, consultant and storyteller is so much more than the images and captions that the world know him for.
Onoja is listed in the Top 50 African Next Gen influencers in On The Radar Volume 2. As simple as Instagram might seem, it’s one hell of a tool for these very things.
Let’s get started!
MY NAME is Steven Onoja. I’m a visual artist professionally. I collect more stories than scars and more scars than coin. My goal in life is to die a decent man after having lived like one too.
At 18 I was fearful, something like a madman, that I wouldn’t know how to get where I wanted to be. But now that I’m doing what I love, I realise it’s much more about liking who you are when you get to where you want to be. Don’t settle for anything less. Life is far too short to just be OK, though some days it’s all you can be.
I’m in my mid-20s and it’s all I can do to keep my youth in check – work harder, take better care of myself, prepare to be a good husband and father (if life sees fit to grant it) and keep myself grounded.
I never wanted to move to New York, only school made the move possible. I love Nigeria so much, I wish I was still there at the moment.
So how does one live in this kind of world and be an artist? I grew up thinking the art world and literature was a haven for those not otherwise accepted anywhere else. I grew up admiring paintings of contorted faces and abstract women.
Nonetheless, I was able to escape from a world that didn’t accept me for who I was and I got older and discovered works by people who shared my tawny hue and read about people and history.
I knew I wanted to be a part of this. But it’s a whole different world when you go from reader to writer when you go from appreciator to photographer or painter. Behind the scenes is a world that is not different from the world I grew up in. I’ve realised there isn’t much room for black creatives. We are so invisible within the art world that it just isn’t heard of.
As a writer, I take inspiration from everything around me. As a creative person, I look to my surroundings and build from there. A talented artist will tell you the same, but I live in a world where everything around me is touched by the phenomenon that is white supremacy, where within white supremacy body-shaming and fatphobia caress where whiteness has touched.
Everyone’s been so kind here, the menswear world is a fun one, and I can’t wait to attend the shows.
I want to help small business, brands and individuals make/have the most beautiful representations of themselves possible. Something I am always seeking to improve in myself. It’s not because I am rich that I’m in New York, it’s because I want to show mainstream media how much can be achieved with little.
Function outlasts fame. Convenience has cost us our ability to connect, it’s improved technologies and speed. But slowed our pace of genuine communications. I am here to try and change that. Call it prideful arrogance or whatever, but that’s why I’m here.
I am working to build a life representative of the early 20th century: a dedication to things well-made, to camaraderie, to feel proud of the work put into the world. We all learn our way.