Omosalewa Ogunjimi’s ‘UNBURNT’ Collection Wins Continental Honour at RLSD Africa

Luxury fashion designer Omosalewa Ogunjimi, founder and creative director of couture brand SHALLYBLAQ, has been named Continental Winner in the Apparel Category at the Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Africa Talent Leather Design Competition 2025, marking a significant milestone in her design career.
Her award-winning collection, “UNBURNT,” is a refined exploration of African heritage, femininity, and resilience, inspired by Moremi Ajasoro, the revered Yoruba warrior queen.

Through sculptural silhouettes and meticulous craftsmanship, the collection reinterprets history using contemporary couture language.
Developed primarily with cowhide leather, the collection aligns with RLSD Africa’s emphasis on sustainability and responsible material use.

Ogunjimi further enriched the narrative with Adire-inspired patterns and symbolic references to water, fire, protection, and rebirth, elements that reflect both cultural memory and modern identity.

Describing the collection as a tribute to African strength and womanhood, Ogunjimi noted that UNBURNT represents the idea of rising with purpose, unbroken by adversity. The designs balance structure and fluidity, presenting leather not only as a functional material but as a medium for storytelling and elegance.

The RLSD Africa Talent Leather Design Competition is a continent-wide initiative celebrating innovation, sustainability, and excellence in leather design. Ogunjimi’s recognition positions her among a new wave of African designers reshapingluxury fashion through culturally rooted narratives.

With this achievement, SHALLYBLAQ continues to establish itself as a brand that merges couture craftsmanship with African storytelling, contributing to the evolving global conversation around heritage-driven luxury fashion.