Adam &Eve 20th Anniversary Carol

Yinka Olatubosun

As the world is counting down to December 31, the luxury retail brand in the heart of Lagos’s capital, Adam&Eve held an afternoon of Xmas carols at GRA amidst celebrity guests, friends and all time customers. This reason for the gathering was to count the blessings for having two decades of luxury business that has survived different socio-economic and political climates. No fewer than five Reverend fathers graced the occasion.

Owned by Chief Mrs. Modupe Ogunlesi, this store defies its years of existence with the classy home wares on display. A brief tour of the multi-level store revealed that the energy of home accessories still reverberates from wall to wall.

Recently, the store introduced art works to the pieces. Ogunlesi showed that this initiative is sustainable by setting up two art exhibitions this year, called “The Content’’, for two seasons, Rain and Harmattan respectively.

For Ogunlesi, the idea of Adam and Eve concept store originated from a personal experience. While preparing for her daughter’s wedding, she couldn’t get a store that had a simple walk-in experience where every household item and organizers could be bought.

As a woman of taste and style, Ogunlesi cares not just about what is served but how it is served. Hence, in her series of overseas travels, she began to collect items that were not just eye-catching but functional. That was the genesis of Adam&Eve.

The veteran actress, Joke Silva was on the roll call of the great friends of Adam&Eve that sang and read some verses in the carols. According to Ogunlesi, Joke Silva’s mother was one of her loyal customers.

The curator of the budding art gallery domiciled in the store, Lekan Onabanjo remarked that the beauty of art is really compelling and explained the real reason for Ogunlesi’s venturing into art pieces.

“One of the objectives of the exhibition is to create an alternative location on the mainland where art could be enjoyed so that the patronage of art and art shows would not be the exclusive preserve of those domiciled on the island. Rather, we bring the island to the mainland to enjoy the art in a unique environment provided by the store that is renowned for quality and luxury and to move away from the norm of displaying art in the galleries,’’ Onabanjo said.

The curator also called for government’s support for the arts through grants and declared that ultimately, Adam&Eve will position its art show on a global calendar.

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