ABOUT IJAN TOLA

A Celebration of Afrocentric Design, Homeware and Gifts

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Ijan Tola (pronounced Ee•Jan Toh•La) is an independent Afrocentric brand delivering vivid personalised embroidery items and hand-illustrated homeware and gifts made in London.

I’ve always loved the bold and vibrant colours of Ankara fabric, more commonly known as African print. I was inspired to fill the blank canvas of my new home with as much colour as possible. And while there’s a lot on offer out there, I felt there was an opportunity to do so much more creatively with African prints. I didn’t realise it then but this was the start of Ijan Tola, which is also my Nigerian Yoruba name. 

What began as a passion project from patiently teaching myself to hand stitch decorative appliqué for personalised family gifts, has now evolved into a brand that celebrates combining traditional African fabrics and patterns with contemporary western design. And yes, I’ve levelled up my sewing craftsmanship and use a much faster embroidery machine now!

My ambition is for people to enjoy exploring the endless possibilities of customised African print. I hope to build an inclusive community inspired and excited to bring more colour into their lives, homes and wardrobes through being a part of the design process for their bespoke items.