The African fashion revolution is about to hit the world by storm. Slowly but surely, the stars are aligning and it is always refreshing to see the unique designs and prints that our rising fashion designers and labels are constantly putting together. In this feature, we profile Dione Mauve, an up and coming fashion house founded by entrepreneur, Ijeoma Madueke. Her designs are refreshing, unique and incredibly stylish. We have uploaded some pictures from her recent collections and have also included an interview with her. Scroll down below for the feature!

INTERVIEW WITH IJEOMA MADUEKE – FOUNDER, DIONE MAUVE

CP-AFRICA.COM: Please can you tell us more about Dione Mauve?

Ijeoma Madueke: Dione Mauve is a fashion house that advocates the expression of beauty in diverse forms (with an emphasis on what encompasses an individual’s identity). It is a movement toward a greater awareness of roots, values and culture.

CP-AFRICA.COM: Which global/African designers are your inspiration?

Ijeoma Madueke: Ituen Basi is a designer that I am inspired by on so many levels. I cannot wait for her expertise to explode on runways around the world.

Bottega Veneta is also very inspiring. I think the realness of its pieces and its understated complexity push the boundaries of what is considered “beautiful”. This label certainly shows that sometimes less indeed is more.

However, I try not to look up to designers too often, so I can retain my uniqueness and personal design aesthetic.

CP-AFRICA.COM: What keeps you motivated?

Ijeoma Madueke: My biggest motivation would be my friends and family. They are not easily impressed and will not hesitate to shun a bad idea

CP-AFRICA.COM: One thing that stood out to CP Africa was how affordable your prices of the collections are. What was the decision based on?

Ijeoma Madueke: I have actually gotten asked that a few times. The answer is simply student life. The first three collections for Dione Mauve were priced to cater to the student demographic. I however do not sacrifice the quality of my pieces.

CP-AFRICA.COM: Which of your collections is your favorite?

Ijeoma Madueke: That’s a tough question. My collections are like my children and I wouldn’t want to love one more than the other. But if I must choose one, I’d say the one closest to my heart is the “Escape collection.” It was the beginning of my sharing my language with the rest of the world and a realization of a long-brewing dream.

CP-AFRICA.COM: How can readers purchase your designs?

Ijeoma Madueke: The Dione Mauve website is currently under construction. However, the Dione Mauve team is currently accepting by email via this address: dionemauve@gmail.com. Delivery is restricted to North America until the website is fully functional.

CP-AFRICA.COM: How can the continent and her people better support fashion lines like Dione Mauve?

Ijeoma Madueke: I’d say appreciating the movement. For Dione Mauve, the movement is Afro-modernity, which is the fusion of culture into the modern era. Culture does not necessarily mean prints/fabric, but the intangible aspects of our cultural perspective. The other way would be to patronize African designs. This will help make many African designs go mainstream.

CP-AFRICA.COM: Favorite African fashionista?

Ijeoma Madueke: It would have to be Ifeoma Williams. Her style is so effortless and simple.

CP-AFRICA.COM: The most treasured item in your wardrobe?

Ijeoma Madueke: Hmm…probably my Purple American Apparel Pencil Dress. I can wear and have worn it in 5 different ways; as a high waist mini-skirt, mid-length skirt, as a tube dress, halter dress, and as a knotted shoulder dress. It is versatile and easy to customize!

About Ijeoma Madueke

Ijeoma Madueke is a Lagos-born indegene of Enugu State with a passion for creativity. She describes her mind as being “in a state of organized chaos” and describes life as “a blank canvas where we paint our experiences and look back at the images to learn from our mistakes.”

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