The wait is over: Toomey & Koko bring the heat with premium African fashion
Welcome to Toomey & Koko. To our space, and to the start of our journey together. We can’t wait to show you around!
Born from a place of passion and commitment, we’ve released our fire to give you the space to dress as fierce as you are. Bold, fearless women? We’re ready for you.
In celebration of our debut collection, (and the start of our blog!) allow us to share the story of how we went from idea to launch. To share how we intend on serving up sustainable, authentic fashion for years to come.
It’s been a long time coming, this celebration — through pandemics and Brexit, lockdowns and more — but let’s face it, nothing worthwhile comes easy. Right?
We’re rooted in African culture
Meet our founder Kofo, born in Ile-Ife, the cultural birthplace of the Yoruba people. She lives with a lifelong passion for African fashion. Nigerian fashion in particular. It’s this passion for the vibrant traditions and people that brought her on a research trip back in 2019, with an idea to breathe life into a brand that embodies modern African women like you.
Naturally, the fabric came first. We produce our collections with ethically sourced and sustainable cotton, so we needed a maker with the skill and passion to dye our cotton and bring Kofo’s vision to life. Which is where Tayo came in, a skilled artisan based in a town called Ilesha, in Osun State, South-West Nigeria.
To create the bold, eye-catching patterns we’re obsessed with today, we chose Adire. A traditional resist-dyeing technique involving indigo and other natural dyes. It’s a beautiful process that originated in southwestern Nigeria, celebrating cultural heritage and shapes that are full of life.
But don’t let us fool you, this was no smooth process. The prints you see today have been in the making since that trip in 2019, through months of back and forth for testing, sampling, re-dyeing, redesigning. Throw a global pandemic in the mix and this meant a lot of communication between Kofo, Omotayo, and our supply chain was through Whatsapp, of all things!
Fast forward through 2020 and our designs, each carefully drawn up by Kofo herself, began to take shape. Sourcing manufacturers, testing designs, finding a pattern cutter; it all took time. Matching the designs to the fabric patterns was a four month process in itself.
We pushed through, and we’re grateful to be here.
“The dream of seeing other people having JOY in my creations is my motivation.” - Kofo
A fusion of culture that’s as unique as you
We’re bringing Nigerian and British culture together to celebrate traditional techniques in a modern way.
Whether you’re getting ready to head back to the office for a much needed gossip with your girlfriends (we hear you!) or heading out for a cocktail or two, let our pieces bring out your inner fabulousness!
Embrace your differences, match the pieces together or mix them into your wardrobe. We believe this is not only better for you —giving you more options to re-style and rewear— but better for our environment, too.
We’re proud to be a “slow fashion” brand, meaning we never mass produce, over produce, or waste unnecessary resources. We always pay our supply chain fairly, building a positive relationship between them and our impact on the earth. We want our clothing to be as good as it makes you feel. Always.
Conscious capsule collections: the rundown
What makes us different? We don’t do things by season.
Unlike many of our peers, we choose to create our collections in capsules, designed to be easily worn season after season, year after year.
When will the next collection launch? When the first one sells. That’s how we can ensure we’re sticking to our promise not to impact the environment in a negative way.
This also means each collection has a limited run — if you have your eye on one of our pieces, don’t wait up. Once it’s gone, it’s gone!
Built around seven key styles, each collection brings:
Osu Mini Skirt
Eko Blazer
Ife Narrow Cigarette Trousers
Ilesa Flared Trousers
Odogbolu Blazer Dress
Bodija Asymmetric Top
Ikeja Wrap Top
Each one designed to mix and match with the others in two vibrant colourways, so you can embrace your unique style with every piece you choose.
Fearless, fun, and full of life — join us!
Keep your eyes on this space for content that celebrates you, Nigerian and British culture, fashion, and more.
What do you want to see from us? Hit us up on Instagram @toomeyandkoko to let us know.
We hope you’re feeling as excited as we are to be here. Ready to turn up the heat?