Nneka Okorie

Born and raised in the Yorkshire city of Bradford, Nneka Okorie grew up in a dynamic multicultural household. Surrounded by heritage from both her Jamaican and Nigerian backgrounds, Nneka’s outlook on design was destined to be loud and colourful. Educated at the University of Salford where she found her voice and won numerous competitions- Nneka carved out her aesthetic.
Winning 2nd place at the 2013 ‘FAD’ Design competition, Nneka impressed prestigious panels with her positive outlook on design and a need to address society’s state of happiness. Once again these principles were applied to the ‘2013 Urban Outfitters Home ware Competition’, where she won 1st prize for designing furniture that was not only functional but visually uplifted the home whilst bringing humour.
From October 2013 Nneka Okorie started an MA in Menswear at the Royal College of Art. Here, Nneka had the opportunity to design and collaborate with companies such as ‘Brioni’ and ‘IFF’. She developed skills such as design technique and garment construction as well as presenting to industry professionals. All these skills were nurtured whilst solidifying her design ethos and visual message.
When asked about her design method Nneka says, “It’s all about creating the story that creates the clothes. My world begins with a story. Whether i pull on personal memories or create a fictional journey based on my ideals; there has to be a central character. i like to design around a young protagonist full of hope and optimism in order to focus my ideas and create emotion.”