You do not have to look hard on Florida A&M’s campus to find unique brands and businesses that have been created by students.
Moni Fagbamiye, a second-year pre-architecture major from Atlanta, is one of many young entrepreneurs on campus who have been making power moves and putting her brand on the map.
Fagbamiye is the founder and CEO of Aworan, a Black-owned clothing line that “caters to the flyest.”
She launched her brand in July 2020 to catalyze an outlet for her creative ideas.
The Aworan fashion line is heavily influenced by creative expression and the brand’s name stems from the Yoruba meaning of art. Fagbamiye says this alone has impacted her brand’s vision.
“I have always been into art, so the whole trajectory of Aworan has been influenced by my belief in the power of an artistic mind,” Fagbamiye said.
Fagbamiye prides her brand on its boundless creativity and distinctive innovation from any other clothing line. She likes to design out of the norm and create clothing that makes statements when worn.
“Aworan is not like any other brand. I like to design and create pieces out of the box, everything you see is unorthodox and one of a kind,” Fagbamiye said.
Fagbamiye’s brand has recently reached new heights after premiering its first collaborative fashion show in Atlanta in August with her co-director, Yao Banash. Multiple models from all over the city came together for the display of her new pieces and the celebration of Black creatives as it relates to their impact on the fashion community.
Rachel Robertson, a freelance model and FAMU alumna, was a model in Fagbamiye’s recent show. She described her experience working alongside Figamaye as genuine fun and was impressed by her ability to take charge all while keeping her composure.
“It was so fun being around other models who were cool people, and I just really loved the outfit I got to wear,” Robertson said. “Moni is like a machine. She directed a whole show all while remaining calm. This is definitely her element.”
Olamie Fagbamiye, brother of Moni and CEO of Orun Collections, was both a designer and collaborator in her recent show. He expressed his pride in Moni and her ability to bring such a creative show to life and intertwine family with business.
“To be both her brother and featured in the show was an honor,” Olamie Fagbamiye said. “I have communicated to Moni in the past to separate business from family because it doesn’t always work out, but for her to be able to pull this off; even though I expected her to do well, I was still so proud.”
Fagbamiye captioned one of her recent Instagram posts dedicated to the show, saying, “First ATL, then the world.”
The world can expect to see Aworan drop a FAMU collection and host more fashion shows in both New York and Atlanta in the upcoming months.