From Concept to Creation: The Clearly Invincible Fashion Summit
On Saturday, July 13th, the warm Summer air in Paris’ 16ème arrondissement was filled with the truly seductive scent of Nigerian cuisine alongside the—equally palpable—spirit of creative synergy and exploration. Orchestrating this memorable afternoon was none other than Sessi K. (@sessi.sanaa.k on Instagram) and her company, Clearly Invincible (@clearlyinvincible), who hosted a two-part fashion immersion summit designed to support and educate fashion entrepreneurs through insightful discussions and hands-on workshops.
images captured by Aris Theotokatos
Attendees were invited to shop bespoke tote bags by Nigerian designer Rita Nkechi Uluka (@tailoredbytachi) and were treated throughout the event to exquisite Nigerian cuisine—jollof arancini, Nigerian salad, chicken & plantain skewers—prepared by the talented Nigerian-English chef Damilola Waterton (@bonzdude). I had the opportunity to interview Sessi at the Clearly Invincible fashion immersion summit to discuss the event, her personal background, and the future of the company.
Heritage, Expression, and Evolution: The Clearly Invincible Story
Sessi’s journey in fashion is deeply rooted in her heritage and upbringing. “I’m a third-generation seamstress, so my grandmother is a seamstress and my mother was a seamstress as well.” Growing up in northern Nigeria, Sessi was immersed in a culture which was quite conservative in regard to fashion. “I’m Yoruba—meaning I’m from the west and southwest of Nigeria—but I grew up in the north, and the north is more conservative,” Sessi explained. This conservativism extended to fashion, shaping her early clothing choices. “The fashion style there is also very conservative, and that really kind of made me more conservative in the way that I dressed, but I don’t think that’s how I innately was.” Clearly Invincible began as a clothing brand, allowing Sessi to explore and express different aspects of her identity. “When Clearly Invincible started it was actually a clothing brand, and so I expressed a lot of those non-conservative parts [of my identity] through designing clothes because I knew that people in other parts of Nigeria would relate to that, to not being necessarily conservative.”
Sessi’s clarity about her passion for fashion has driven her career. “I've never been one of those people who was like, ‘Oh, I don't really know what I want to do’—I’ve always known it was fashion.” Through designing clothes for Clearly Invincible, however, she discovered that making clothing was not her ultimate calling. “After I explored that, I realized that [designing clothes] just wasn't what I wanted to do with my life.” Following this realization, both Sessi and Clearly Invincible shifted focus towards serving the community by acting as a resource to others. “Clearly Invincible has now evolved beyond just clothing [to now being] a fashion services agency that helps fashion entrepreneurs grow their brand, start their brand, giving them operational management, administrative help, and creative help as well.” Indeed, the agency now serves as a crucial resource for emerging fashion entrepreneurs and enthusiasts. “There are a lot of people that come to me and they're like, ‘Oh, I want to design stuff, but I don't know how to draw.’ And I mean, there are a lot of creative directors that don't know how to thread a needle. But they have the help. They have the resources around them to be able to do those things,” explained Sessi.
“And that's what Clearly Invincible is now. It's a resource that is basically helping fashion entrepreneurs to be able to do those things that they don't necessarily know how to do, but that they have the desire to express.”
Clearly Invincible also aims to address gaps in fashion media, particularly in regard to African fashion. “The media aspect [of Clearly Invincible] caters to fashion media in general, but it's very niche in the sense that it caters to African fashion entrepreneurs. I feel like there was kind of a gap there when I was growing up in Nigeria,” Sessi expressed. “I still mostly heard about Dior, Valentino, and as cool as they are, I felt like there was just a gap in my learning experience with the brands that I was physically surrounded by. There wasn't as much coverage about Nigerian brands as I would have liked compared to the coverage about Dior and all the other Western brands.”
The mission for Clearly Invincible’s media component is ultimately, according to Sessi, to preserve and bring awareness to African fashion cultures. “I feel like we're definitely stepping into that gap and trying to make sure that there is an archival system of African fashion going on right now. […] We're not trying to pump out news quickly, that's not the point, but we are trying to cover what is going on now, and what has gone on in the past,” she elaborated. “We do that through news briefs every week. We do that through our podcasts where we talk to people in our ecosystem and understand how they're creating, and finally by making sure that younger African fashion entrepreneurs also have a reference point that's more relatable to them.”
Creative Synergy and Practical Skills: The Fashion Immersion Summit
Saturday’s event began with a panel discussion titled ‘The Designer’s Process,’ featuring industry veterans Muftau Femi Ajose—founder of Cute Saint—and Daniela Mejias—a professional Art & Creative Director with years of experience at brands such as Restoration Hardware and Banana Republic. Sessi highlighted the importance of this panel. “I hope that attendees will take away from the panel discussion that it takes a lot of work to bring an idea to life. The conceptualizing of it all—the moodboard aspect of it—is all amazing, it’s great,” she explained. “You get to explore a lot of ideas, but I think the real work is in sourcing materials, is in having your garment factories, creating the tech pack, etc. [This is] actually the process of bringing that thing to life, [the process] that moves it from ideation to a physical product.”
Sessi also underscored the inspiring journeys of the panelists. “I want attendees to use these panelists that are here as a real-life example of the fact that it is possible. You’re not reaching, it’s not too far-fetched,” she said. “[Ajose] is someone from Nigeria who dares to dream, basically. And anyone who has grown up in Nigeria knows that the ecosystem makes it really hard for you to develop anything. Even if you have all the resources—and by resources I mean money—it’s really hard for you to develop anything. And [Ajose] has been able to do that quite eloquently.” Sessi also explained of Mejias that she, “has gone from a ‘formal’ background—not even thinking that she was going to work in a creative industry—to ideating rebrands for large companies like Banana Republic.”
Following the panel, the ‘Illustrate & Sip Workshop’ allowed attendees to immerse themselves in the actual creative process. Guided by Sessi, participants created their own moodboards and sketched their own collections, engaging with skills that are essential for fashion entrepreneurship. “Digital illustrations, collection planning and technical packs are services that we offer fashion entrepreneurs at Clearly Invincible. ‘Illustrate & Sip’ is a look into what the initial idea looks like for our clients,” explained Sessi. “These skills are very important for anyone experimenting with design and potentially manufacturing. It’s important to speak the same language as your garment manufacturer, not just for fluency in communication but to be able to push your personal boundaries with design and, ultimately, your brand or clothing line.”
Sessi also noted what she hoped participants would take away from the workshop. “I believe that everyone will take away something different from our workshop. Some people may be reignited with their love for fashion, others may be planning a potential collection, and some may just express themselves creatively,” she commented. “And because of the intimate setting, everyone will be able to share their ideas while also delving into more sociopolitical conversations. We will all hopefully be able to add to what I like to call our ‘Fashion Family’”.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future
When considering the future of Clearly Invincible, Sessi shared her ambitious vision. “I want physical spaces. I want us to be able to have a space where we can come together—and by us I mean fashion entrepreneurs, fashion enthusiasts, anyone that just shares this love of fashion. Especially for those who feel overlooked. […] More people who don’t want to work for ‘The Man’ need spaces where they can come together and explore their creativity.” Indeed, the necessity of such physical spaces, according to Sessi, is underpinned by the need for tangible, interactive experiences in fashion. “It is glamorous living in Paris, where you can go to Yves Saint Laurent’s workshop, and—from a distance—see his work desk and everything, but it’s almost glamorized through a fishbowl type thing,” she remarked.
“People who are fashion enthusiasts, they need to use their hands, we want to touch, we want to create, we want to feel. There needs to be a physical aspect to it apart from the dreaming. We can’t be stuck in the dreaming. That’s kind of the concept of what I see for Clearly Invincible, actualizing those things into physical reality for people who are big dreamers.”
The fashion immersion summit truly showcased Sessi K.’s dedication to empowering fashion entrepreneurs and fostering a supportive creative network. As the event concluded, attendees left inspired and equipped with new knowledge and connections, all the more ready to take the next steps in their fashion journeys. Clearly Invincible remains committed to serving as a valuable resource for guiding fashion visionaries towards their goals.
Written by Chris Turner
