It was moving to East London from Arizona in 2018 that “opened up a new possibility to another career,” Alex recalls. Here, he became creative director for Cold Laundry and helped the label to secure investment. Soon, these investors were encouraging him to build his own vision that they could support. As a photographer-first, creative director-second, storytelling is essential to his role and what he feels is his purpose: “Stepping into this role as a designer for Isoko felt natural,” he reflects.

Alex found his initial inspiration in the merging of fashion, music and art, and in bringing together the two parts of the world in which he’s found calmness and creativity - Nigeria and Japan. The brand name pays homage to the Nigerian Isoko tribe his family line derives from but also translates to ‘Beach’ and ‘Shore’ in Japanese. This reflects Isoko’s effortless aesthetic and emphasis on serenity. “Japanese people have a peaceful way of life that I admire. It's very simple, which is something I love about their architecture, too.”

The debut capsule collection, entitled Synchrony, is based on the core pillars of calm, care and community. We are immersed in a “tonal experience” of soft brown heavy knits, beige basics and earthy-hued double-breasted coats that all complement one another. These are timeless, unisex staples that offer maximum ease and comfort and relief from the stress of every day. That’s calm.

Then comes care with Alex’s focus on ethical production methods. Isoko is wedded to reducing its carbon footprint by partnering with the Carbon Fund to donate a portion of each sale to the not-for-profit organisation. In addition, each collection will only be on offer for a 7-day window, after which orders will be made from organic cotton as well as polyester and nylon. This direct-to-consumer model reduces wastage and encourages their customers to appreciate the honest joys of slow fashion. “We don't want to claim sustainability yet but we want to make that the goal,” he says. And that brings us to community. Isoko plans to truly connect with their clientele by sharing weekly editorials, specially-curated wallpaper packs and early access to future releases.

“Isoko is my shot at pursuing what makes me happy, and provide for myself, my community, my family, and hopefully the world in a lot of ways,” says Alex. Ultimately, his aspiration is to build enough resources to provide a brighter future for those across the African diaspora, especially in Nigeria, through Isoko. “When you start a charity, you start from home,” he asserts. With a following spanning over 40,000 on his personal Instagram account, and a growing audience for Isoko, Alex recognises the influence and impact he holds as a successful Nigerian creative. “I care about the people that look like me and come from the same place that I do. One of the things that I've always considered in my work is giving these people a platform.”