It Is A Chinyemugo World And Fashion Is Living In It.

In leather jackets, knee-high boots and a Van Cleef & Arpels practically glued to her chest, there is an aura to Chinyemugo. Her demeanour is intimidating yet charming, she appears confident and sure. She matches this profile as she will be the first to tell you that she is certain about her career choices, after all, she has been a designer all her life.

At 21, Chinyemugo Obiekwugo-Charles is taking on the fashion industry with full force– valedictorian, inventor, fashion designer, stylist and jewellery designer. Last year, she launched her brand, MUGO MUGO (formerly Chinye Mugo). Obiekwugo-Charles is not fazed by the weight of her dreams. She embraces the work of it all as she tackles control as a theme for her brand’s latest collection, THRONE. “I do not mind setting a tone for generations.”

Obiekwugo-Charles is aware of the opportunities she is provided but the iconoclast has better ideas than hoarding them. “I hate how Africans are boxed and referred to as African designers and not just designers. Some still think of us as primate people living in huts and the rest see it [Africa] as one big country. But there are so many of us, there is poverty and there is opulence. I want to show that. There is a lot of exchange between Africa and Europe in the industry, yet, Africa is often erased from fashion discussion. I want to highlight that, I want Africa to go down in the fashion books. It has earned its slot.”