This week we speak to Ola Alabi, co-founder of Shoreditch-based fashion label, Cold Laundry.

Born into a Nigerian heritage, Ola grew up in London and Kent and spent his childhood traveling with his adventurous parents- a key destination being the artistic markets in Italy where he witnessed different design practices. This early influence introduced him to the world of fashion design and helped shape his creative expression and independence.

Following a brief career in professional football, Ola went on to work at River Island, where he met his wife and fellow co-founder, Cerise Alabi. Together they shared a passion and interest for fashion design and dreamed big for a future they knew would involve being entrepreneurs. Years later - after one failed footwear label, a few creative projects, and an inspirational 6-month trip to Korea (Asia) - they launched Cold Laundry in 2019.

Ola and Cerise have since achieved major success, organically generating 1 million in sales during the first trading year and opening their first brick & mortar store in July 2020. The couple have work-balance down to a fine art, where Ola focuses on marketing, creative direction, campaigns and collaborations, and Cerise focuses on the product design - the rest is shared amongst the Cold Laundry team.

In this episode, Ola paints a real picture following the journey of Cold Laundry, from the couple’s early days hosting a pop-up store in Boxpark, Shoreditch up to their future vision - which is nothing short of creative!

We discuss the importance of networking with people (such as suppliers and manufacturers) in the early stages, being resourceful in order to generate cash flow (it’s not just about the idea, designers!), and trialing price points for products. We also touch on hiring team members and the inside POV of selling wholesale to retailers.

It’s hard to not be inspired by Ola and Cerise’s aim to achieve a state of mind, feeling, and lifestyle - and Ola consistently finds himself immersed in the fashion world. You don’t want to miss this one that teaches us - “Passion drives success”

Discover more about Cold Laundry:

Cold Laundry Online store: https://coldlaundrystores.com/

Cold Laundry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coldlaundry/?hl=en

Ola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olaalabi_/?hl=en

Cerise’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cerisealabi/?hl=en

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