Lanre Da Silva has made a point in the most fashionable way. For LDA, the phrase is no longer ‘dress the way you want to be addressed; but dress the way you are,’ because to her, a person’s appearance points to his/her personality.
LDA as she is fondly called is the founder of the eponymous Lanre Da Silva fashion label; a label that was launched for the first time on the fashion scene in 2005 with a 1940’s couture signature. In eight years her passion for fashion has waxed even stronger, making the label a fashion favourite among the media, celebrities and fashion lovers. The fashion label combines Victorian and contemporary design to make 40’s inspired English wear relevant, practical and extremely alluring for today’s discerning, stylish and unconventional woman. The LDA woman is brilliant, classy and unconventional, and these attributes inspire each of her collections. According to her; “Couture, colour and boldness with an edgy twist are the signature of my designs.”
Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might; this age old principle remains true and operative especially for this entrepreneur par excellence who has found her passion; the very thing that gives her so much joy and fulfilment, and that is being able to put smiles on the faces of African women both young and old.
LDA’s fashion collection includes; couture, prêt a porter, and accessories such as hairpieces and statement jewellery. With this lady of class, there is no dull moment as she seizes every opportunity to showcase the beauty of the African woman; through various creative works. She uses vibrant colours, textures, cuts, shapes and fabrics to make her statement which is true to our African heritage in the 21st century.
She envisions the everyday LDA woman as elegant, intelligent and highly charismatic. She considers the female expression as unique and of utmost importance, so she goes the extra mile to get it classy and right. In her words; “I have made the woman’s figure the utmost priority in the making of the pieces as they have the vibrancy of a confident and intelligent woman; dresses, shorts, cat suits, skirts, jump suits, harem trousers and blouses that are cut to accentuate the best parts of a woman’s body in uneven hems and delicate use of trimmings to accentuate parts of the body and bring about a contrast of the 40’s and modern day”.
The trendsetter has made an indelible mark in the fashion industry and remains a force to be reckoned with. Her brand is next to none and has been featured on various platforms like ABC News.com, ARISE Magazine, Daily Mail, Fashion Bomb.com, Zimbio.com, WWD.com,Vogue black, Reuters UK among many others. LDA produces at least six major collections every year; she has also showcased collections locally in Nigeria and internationally at the Thisday Africa Rising Festival (October 2008), Arise Africa Fashion Festival, South Africa (June 2009), the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring(2012), the New York Fashion Week (September 2009) and the Arise Magazine Fashion Week, Lagos (March 2011) She has also created three different collections for international Dutch wax print giant, Vlisco.
Lanre’s academic qualification includes a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Coventry University and a Masters’ degree in Finance from University of Leicester; a creative person who appreciates that numbers are important. Anyone else amazed that she never studied a fashion-related course? LDA is married with two children and stands as a worthy ambassador of womanhood in all its many presentations.
