Nigerian-born fashion designer and singer, Mowalola Ogunlesi, has been making waves in the industry with her bold and unconventional style. She is the design director of Kanye West’s Yeezy and Gap collaborative venture, and has been working with the rapper since 2020.
Ogunlesi recently unveiled a new design on her Instagram page, featuring Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori wearing a yellow leather cross harness over a black dress. The cross harness is similar to the one that Kanye West was spotted wearing in Los Angeles on Monday, along with a cross shaved into the back of his head.
The crucifix design is part of Ogunlesi’s Spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection, titled “Burglarwear”. The collection was inspired by all types of criminals, from kidnappers to stockbrokers to the priesthood. Ogunlesi said she likes the idea of “weaponizing clothes, weaponizing shoes, weaponizing shoulders, weaponizing elbows”.
The crucifix design has sparked mixed reactions from fans and critics alike. Some praised Ogunlesi for her creativity and originality, while others questioned her motives and intentions behind using a religious symbol as a fashion statement.
Some argued that the crucifix design is disrespectful and blasphemous, especially considering Kanye West’s recent conversion to Christianity and his controversial album “Jesus Is King”. Others defended Ogunlesi and West, saying that they are expressing their faith and spirituality in their own way, and that fashion is a form of art and expression.
Ogunlesi has not commented on the controversy surrounding her crucifix design, but she has previously stated that she does not shy away from expressing herself in any way she wants. She said that “whatever feeds me, I should just do it”.
What do you think of Mowalola Ogunlesi’s crucifix design? Is it a symbol of faith or fashion? Let us know in the comments below.