Mowalola
The Mowalola Collection
Five new decks. Straight from the Mowaverse.
Mowalola Ogunlesi is a designer who doesn't follow culture—she bends it. For our latest collaboration, we’ve teamed up to translate her unmistakable visual world into a limited collection of skate decks.
The result: Cheetah, JC, Red, Moto, and Graffiti—five bold designs that echo Mowalola’s iconography, attitude, and sense of motion. Each one is a piece of her language, reframed for the street, the gallery, or wherever you claim space.
This is where fashion, art, and skate culture meet. All sales help THE SKATEROOM fulfill its social impact mission.
Artist Bio
Mowalola Ogunlesi is a Nigerian-born fashion designer and singer working and living in London. She is known for working with a wide variety of textiles such as leather and PVC to produce non-traditional silhouettes inspired by Nigerian and London youth culture.
Born to two Nigerian fashion designers, Ogunlesi moved to the UK and attended a boarding school in Surrey when she was 12.
The London-residing designer went on to complete a BA in Fashion Textiles at Central Saint Martins, which has birthed fashion legends such as Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Ricardo Tisci. During her studies she debuted a ‘70s Nigerian rock scene-inspired menswear collection entitled “Psychedelic,” which showcased her now signature structured skin-exposing tops, straight-leg pants and bright leathers. While she stayed on at the institution with the intent to complete an MA, she swiftly dropped out of the program in pursuit of freedom and creative license to design in London.
Ogunlesi held her first show at London Fashion Week in 2019 with the support of design incubator Fashion East. After impressing front-row attendees Skepta and Kim Jones with the debut of her sex-charged and gender-fluid designs, she began to gain traction throughout the British fashion scene.
Her accolades piled up after this as she threw herself into multiple projects such as a collab with Nike to design the Nigerian football team’s uniform, working alongside Skepta on his “Pure Water” music video and being one of six designers picked by British Vogue to dress the 60th anniversary Barbie.
Under the creative lead of Mowalola Ogunlesi, the brand has become synonymous with fearless innovation and cultural commentary.
Mowalola’s creative vision is deeply rooted in her Nigerian heritage, yet it transcends borders, merging traditional influences with contemporary urban aesthetics. Her designs are characterized by bold colors, provocative cuts, and a rebellious spirit that challenges conventional fashion norms.
Mowalola’s creative direction also emphasises storytelling through fashion. Each collection tells a narrative that reflects her personal experiences and broader societal themes. This narrative-driven approach has captivated a diverse and influential audience, resonating with those who appreciate fashion as a form of artistic and cultural expression.
