Erika Dalya Massaquoi is a multifaceted artist whose work spans the fields of art, fashion, education, and business. She often references Black iconography in her work, reframing the lens through which people perceive Black culture. This intersection of race and representation is fundamental to Massaquoi’s design aesthetic.
With her women’s ready-to-wear line OULA, Massaquoi has combined her love of vintage fashion and African wax fabric with her talent for storytelling. OULA’s seemingly instant popularity has—and continues—to attract customers of all backgrounds, incomes, and ages who are embracing it for its inclusivity. Now based in Denver, we chat with Massaquoi as she prepares to take OULA international.
For a young fashion brand, landing a major department store client and delivering to them your first collection is a stressful process. Now imagine trying to do it during a global pandemic, and while relocating your family to a new city. That’s exactly the position Erika Dalya Massaquoi found herself in on January 1, 2021. Massaquoi, who is a curator, educator, designer, and entrepreneur, launched her brand The OULA Company in 2015. By 2021—right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic—she landed a partnership with Nordstrom. Though excited to begin
