Kolade Mayowa Bolade and Ore Akinde are running thriving businesses, built on the back of the craft they love - crochet.
Crocheting once served as a pleasant enough pastime — a tactile and visually satisfying escape from idleness. If we didn’t practice it ourselves growing up, we knew someone who did. They were the ones who mastered handsy crafts like crochet, beadwork or hair braiding with ease, creating everything from trendy purses to stylish hats. In high school, they might have gifted or sold their creations to family and friends, only to set aside their craft for a more conventional job after university, one that puts food on the table and ensures a steady income.
But that’s an old narrative. Armed with a passion for style and the unbendable Nigerian spirit, two young women have transformed crochet into thriving and glamorous businesses. “Crochet used to be a grandma skill,” says Kolade Mayowa Bolade, known for her crochet brand HookedbyLade, in an interview with OkayAfrica.
“When you say crochet, the first thing that comes to mind is grandmothers making a blanket, or mothers making scarves. So when I knew that I wanted to crochet big time, I knew it had to be something different. I just didn’t really know what.”
Bolade studied architecture in university, the principles of which she applies to her crochet craft.
Photo courtesy of Kolade Mayowa Bolade.
Crochet was Bolade’s first love. “I used to crochet as a child. [From] when I was 9,” she says. “I didn’t know I was going to do it on this scale. I just loved doing it.” At 24, Bolade picked up crochet again during her mandatory one-year national youth service in Nigeria, and started to pursue it full-time at 26. Three years later, with over 800,000 followers across Instagram and Tiktok, HookedbyLade has fulfilled more than 1,000 orders, and shipped signature crochet bags to over 15 countries.
In her social media bio, she labels herself “the Crochet Bag Architect.” Bolade chose this title because she studied architecture in the university and now applies the principles of her discipline to her crochet designs. “The first principle is functionality,” she explains. “That’s in the sense of structural stability. It’s not just a crochet piece; it’s a bag, and it has to function as a bag. You can’t put your phone inside, and then it falls out.” Bolade does not negotiate with quality. “People are going to be carrying around these bags for years,” she says. The other principle is that each bag should be aesthetically pleasing. “A bag should look beautiful.”
Bolade isn’t rigid about following rules. “If I’m creating something avant-garde, for example, I step outside those boxes,” she says. However, she typically incorporates architectural principles into her distinctive crochet designs. This approach has undeniably given her an edge in the Nigerian crochet market, and made her brand stand out.
Redefining crochet
HookedbyLade aims to create exceptional user experiences. “Each order is unique, each order is special,” Bolade explains, adding that she prefers to think of crochet as “respectable” rather than luxury.” She continues: “Crochet has been dismissed for so long as a cheap hobby. People often say, ‘It’s just crochet,’ and expect to pay next to nothing for a sweater, even suggesting, ‘I’ll provide the yarn; isn’t it just making it?’” Through HookedbyLade, Bolade is determined to change this perception, elevating crochet to a top-tier skill, just as respectable as scientific and technological pursuits.
Kolade MayowaBolade wants to make crochet into a respectable skill.
Photo courtesy of Kolade Mayowa Bolade.
People are observing, Bolade says. “It’s not that they’re unwilling to spend on an accessory; they invest just as much in their hair or nails. But they want to understand the value of what they’re buying. HookedbyLade is patient. We’re playing the long game, waiting for people to catch up.”
The joy in the craft
Like Bolade, Ore Akinde, founder of ByOre, began crocheting as a child, but only turned it into a business later in life. Akinde has always been passionate about fashion, and she chose crochet to stand out. ByOre specializes in crochet dresses, sweaters and shirts. “At the time [I started my business], crochet wasn’t widely popular as a business,” Akinde tells OkayAfrica in an interview. “I wanted a medium that wasn’t so common, especially in this part of the world. It was the exclusivity and the freedom to design and create anything I imagined that drew me to crochet,” she adds.
Akinde is quite popular on X. Her posts showcasing her designs quickly accumulate thousands of likes and often go viral. Also similar to Bolade, Akinde’s background in mass communication has been instrumental to her success as a business owner, enhancing her customer interactions and providing valuable marketing and advertising insights.
“I started crocheting again in 2017, during my first year of university. This time, I took it seriously,” she explains. Akinde’s decision was met with initial skepticism, especially from family and friends. “They questioned how viable it was, making a living from crochet. Additionally, my parents are academics. It was hard convincing them.”
The doubts only fueled Akinde’s determination to prove them wrong. In August 2018, she launched her first collection, starting with bralettes, crop tops, and bikinis. By 2020, she had expanded her range to include sweaters, shirts, and menswear.
Akinde’s family and friends did not initially believe that a career in crochet could be sustainable and profitable.
Photo courtesy Ore Akinde.
“I had to return to school after the lockdown, which slowed the business down,” Akinde says. However, once she graduated, she dove back in. “I saw a surge in sales and reached more countries than I had before.” The rapid success and her deep passion for crocheting led her to pursue it full-time. “Not many people get to do what they love and make money from it, so I don’t take this for granted,” she adds.
By 2023, Akinde made the leap to full-time entrepreneurship. Today, ByOre has evolved from a small venture into an international brand, growing from solo crocheting in her room, to employing a team, and processing over 1,500 orders, shipping to more than 20 countries.
How crochet can change fashion
Akinde understands that crochet might not appeal to everyone. “My target customer is the modern, conscious person who appreciates handmade, unique pieces. This person values quality, sustainability, and individuality. They want that blend of comfort, style, and ethical fashion,” she says.
Ore Akinde says her “target customer is the modern, conscious person who appreciates handmade, unique pieces.”
Photo courtesy of Ore Akinde.
Still, she asserts that there is boundless potential in crochet, and insists that crochet has a significant role to play in the fashion industry; “Especially within the slow fashion movement,” she explains. “It’s a sustainable craft that emphasizes handmade production and reduces waste. By using eco-friendly materials and ethical production practices, crochet can contribute to a more sustainable fashion ecosystem.” Akinde believes that crochet can challenge fast fashion by offering long-lasting, high-quality pieces that are cherished by their owners.
This is a sentiment that is shared by Bolade, who believes that within crochet lies the ability to transform fashion, and lives. “My goal is to make crochet more than a hobby, and into a lifestyle,” she says. Bolade is working towards a world where one can be asked, “What do you want to do in the future?” and they can proudly answer, “I’d like to craft for a living, I’d like to crochet.”
Akinde believes crochet has a role to play in transforming fashion.
Photo courtesy of Ore Akinde.
This is an ambitious goal, especially in the Nigerian scene where scientific, legal, and finance-related professions are celebrated, while artistic pursuits are undervalued. Bolade will be the first to admit it. “It sounds funny, I know it does,” she says. “But it’s possible.”
Balancing creativity with running a business in the Nigerian economy is no easy feat. “But that’s what toughens us up,” Bolade says. “It sharpens our edge, fuels our belief that we can conquer any challenge with persistence.”
Bolade is unwavering in her vision for her brand, and for the future of crochet. “We’re in this for the long game,” she declares.
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