‘I designed an outfit for a guest at Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding’
Kemi Oloyede had been sitting on her dream for years before she took the leap and set up a workshop studio to teach people how to make and mend clothes.
When I was a child, I was always very creative. I was forever making things, using bits of material to design clothes for my dolls. I spent my early years in Brighton, and my foster mum would talk about how, during the war, they used to cut up ‘old this and that’ to make new things. This fascinated me.
When I was eight, I went to live with my birth parents in Nigeria, which opened up a whole new world. The culture there is far removed from ‘fast fashion’; it’s all about creating bespoke clothing with amazing materials and patterns. I started learning about the practical side of making, mending and upcycling clothes.
My parents wanted me to concentrate on my studies but, as much as they wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer, that didn’t happen! I came back to England in my early 20s, married and settled down, working as a textiles teacher in a secondary school.
While I never regret teaching, I got stuck in that job for 21 years. I always wanted to set up a sewing and crafting business, but I had two sons, so family life put my dreams on hold.
I ran an after-school sewing club, which was so much fun. Adults would also look at the clothes I made for myself and say how much they would love to be able to sew. This gave me the idea to set up a workshop studio where I could teach people these skills, as well as selling clothes I made and upcycled.
When my kids were 12 and 17, I decided it was time. I quit my job and used £2,000 of my savings to launch the Sew London Project. A friend helped me to secure a lovely studio overlooking the river in Barking. The school where I used to work donated chairs and tables, and I had fabric I’d been stockpiling for years. I looked on websites such as Freecycle to get other second-hand items like clothes rails, and my friends and family chipped in to help me buy enough sewing machines.
I’m known locally as ‘the sewing lady’, so it wasn’t hard to get the word out.
I’m known locally as the sewing lady
Soon my studio was filled with people of all ages and backgrounds who were keen to learn how to make things. One young girl told me she wanted to be like me when she grew up, which made me quite emotional. She’s since gone on to study fashion at university and is still in touch with me today. There’s also a mum who wanted to brush up on her sewing skills. Now, she sends me pictures of the things she’s made. It’s so rewarding.
One of my career highlights was making an outfit for a guest at the royal wedding in 2018. My sister’s friend was one of the trustees for Prince Harry’s charity, and she posted in their Whatsapp group: ‘Does anyone know a good designer?’ When she came to see me, I started sketching while she talked about what she would and wouldn’t wear. She chose me for the job because I’d really paid attention. The dress had subtle African prints; she was complimented by Idris Elba and George Clooney, so I must have done something right! This never would have happened if I hadn’t left my teaching job. It makes me want to say to people who think they’ve missed their chance to stop sitting on their dreams. We should use our wisdom and pursue our dreams with all our might. imsewlondon.wordpress.com