Why We're Crushing On Onalaja's SS17 Collection

"I wanted to put a focus on women that had influenced me a lot," said Onalaja about the collection's influence.

Women like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (whose We Should All Be Feminist TED talk served as a soundtrack for the runway show) served as inspirations for the designer.

When asked about her penchant for muted tones and bronze hues, Onalaja explained that the collection, titled "Melanin, Her Story and The Art of Manipulation" was inspired by the wide variety of melanin-infused skin tones. The collection's embellishments, which were all made and designed by hand, were also meant to complement the different hues of the model's skin tones.

"The Onalaja woman is fun," said Onalaja when asked about what kind of women she envisioned wearing her designs.

"She's not very convenient with the things she wears, but she's very strong, opinionated, and confident."