If you’re looking for stylish and unique resort wear and swimwear for your summer wardrobe, D’IYANU has got you covered. The apparel brand takes a contemporary approach to traditional African dressing, with collections that honor the past while welcoming the future for women and men in sizes S-2X and select kids items in 3T-L.
D’IYANU Founder and CEO Adesola (Addie) Elabor was born in Nigeria and moved to the U.S. with her family at the age of six.
“As with most children new to a foreign environment, I struggled to fit into the American lifestyle with different foods, vocabulary, and culture. As I grew older, I learned to accept and embrace my unique and quite literal ‘African’ ‘American’ experience.”
Adesola graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa with a bachelor’s in International Business and French minor. College is where she solidified her life’s goal of creating a business that would enable her to give back to the African community. After receiving her master’s degree in International Marketing, she was unable to find a job in the marketing field.
“I was also very unhappy with my corporate job and didn’t see myself struggling to climb the corporate ladder. So, I decided to launch my own business with the Black community in mind. I realized that there was a void in the fashion world for ready-to-wear African-inspired pieces that were easily accessible to people like myself. There wasn’t a leading brand that allowed you to celebrate African culture in all spheres of life (events, work, etc.) so I asked myself ‘why not me?'”
Adesola was not going to let her lack of a fashion background stop her from realizing her vision. She was determined to make it happen. Seeing an opportunity to create a fashion line that allowed her to express her heritage through clothing, Adesola self-funded and launched D’IYANU in January 2014 from her small studio apartment. The brand started with six women’s styles, and has grown exponentially.
Today, Adesola works out of the D’IYANU headquarters in Norristown, PA with her brother, Dara Ajayi, and 17 other employees across the company’s design, operations, and marketing departments. The brand has since expanded to include impressive resort wear and swimwear collections.
D’IYANU’s resort collection features neon and pastel styles that transition smoothly from day to night. For women, the collection consists of a fitted mid-length dress, cut-out tier maxi dress, crop tops, matching shorts, and headwraps. For men, button-ups with pops of color and print shorts are included for a matching couple’s moment or stylish solo look.
Themed as “The Great Escape,” the resort wear collection is inspired by summer bliss, in which one can enjoy solitude or small gatherings after months of lockdown. Escaping the hum of everyday life for a much-needed retreat, this collection keeps customers cool and inspired with vibrant illustrations printed on breathable stretch cotton.
Colors include ocean blues, tones of violet, and D’IYANU’s signature yellow and gold. Each product name is inspired by an African meaning associated with summer.
D’IYANU’s swimwear collection evokes long, hot summer days spent creating memories with friends and family by the pool, in your yard, or on vacation. The collection consists of neon color tones in their signature bold Ankara fabric with statement-making swim trunks for men that can also double as shorts.
For women, print cut-out bikinis and sleek one-piece bathing suits are available to flatter all body types in sizes S-2X. Pair each swimsuit with a D’IYANU tunic or kimono for a polished poolside look.
Starting July 31, D’IYANU plans on hosting sample sales at their showroom on the last weekend of each month. Also, on July 23, the brand’s Midsummer Repurpose Line featuring new designs made from recycled fabrics of their previous collections, will be available.
To-date, D’IYANU has donated over $50,000 to both national and worldwide organizations, including Charity Water, Educare Benin, and the National Urban League. Locally, D’IYANU has donated to and continues to develop their ongoing support of The Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia. In 2020, the company provided over 20,000 masks to essential workers.
To shop D’IYANU’s resort wear and swimwear collections, visit www.diyanu.com and follow @DIYANU for the latest sales and updates.
