For Lola Banjo, luxurious is one thing all of us deserve.
The founder and artistic director of Silver & Riley, a luxurious bag and equipment model, knew from day one which she needed to create merchandise that appeared good whereas lasting a very long time.
Her journey from Brooklyn and Lagos to launching a globally acknowledged luxurious model is a testomony to perseverance, creativity, and an unwavering dedication to high quality.
A former administration advisor who studied economics and earned an MBA, Banjo traveled weekly for work and at some point discovered herself on a freezing chilly flight, the place she requested a flight attendant for a blanket however was denied. She was informed it was reserved for first-class passengers. The expertise sparked an thought.
“I needed to create journey merchandise which can be accessible to everybody and make life handy while you’re touring,” Banjo informed theGrio.
These merchandise would turn into the model Silver & Riley, which produces high-quality purses and journey luggage crafted in Italy, merging performance with type. For Banjo, while you’re holding Silver & Riley, whether or not sitting in top quality or financial system, you are feeling elevated.
To Banjo, Silver & Riley is greater than a model — it’s a automobile for change. Born to Nigerian mother and father, Banjo’s adolescence in Lagos uncovered her to profound inequalities. These experiences formed her willpower to construct a model that stands for greater than aesthetics. “I at all times questioned injustice,” Banjo informed theGrio. “I at all times questioned … why sure communities had greater than others. And so I vowed to be part of … one of many folks not simply complaining about it, however doing one thing to make a change about it. And so I at all times knew I used to be going to start out a enterprise.”
Her ardour for legacy and group empowerment is mirrored within the identify of the model. “Silver was my nickname from my mom, who was an entrepreneur herself and referred to as me her silver child,” Banjo informed theGrio. “Riley is the identify I’d at all times needed to offer a future youngster, representing the legacy I’m constructing for generations to come back.”
Overcoming Challenges
Banjo’s journey hasn’t been with out obstacles. As a Black lady within the luxurious market, she’s encountered implicit biases that problem her model’s progress. “Folks don’t anticipate to see you because the face within the area,” she defined. “Any time I take into consideration how onerous it’s, I take into consideration what my ancestors needed to face — our ancestors needed to face — 100 years in the past.”
Regardless of these challenges, Banjo stays steadfast in her mission. “I needed to create a product that may begin shoulder to shoulder with heritage manufacturers on the market,” she informed theGrio, referencing the Rolex watch she noticed her mom put on for years.
“Rising up, my mom had a Rolex watch that she was very pleased with. And, you realize, she invested some huge cash into that. However that was one thing that she needed to move on to me,” Banjo defined. “I need to be part of a generational story like that, creating items that may be a sentimental connection to somebody and characterize one thing that transcends simply that cut-off date.”
With this basis in thoughts, each Silver & Riley product displays Banjo’s meticulous consideration to element and keenness for high quality. The New Yorker Bag, one of many model’s bestsellers, took 4 years to design. Banjo describes it as an “iconic bag” that represents “the grit and the wonder and the range of town.”
Equally notable are the model’s scarves, which Banjo considers artworks. “I design each, and lots of them are literally footage that I’ve taken on my journeys around the globe, or they’re really designs,” Banjo informed theGrio. “I’ve been impressed by cities around the globe and I put loads into them.”
The Energy of Black Luxurious
For Banjo, luxurious is greater than a standing image — it’s an announcement of value and empowerment. “We completely deserve luxurious as a result of it’s one thing that we’ve been excluded from for thus lengthy,” she defined. “I needed to additionally work on luxurious that was comparatively accessible.” Silver & Riley’s vacation sale contains gadgets like their Durban Convertible Crossbody and Clutch for $295 and their Rio Deal with Bag is $475.
Banjo’s recommendation for aspiring entrepreneurs is rooted in resilience and imaginative and prescient. “On the finish of the day, you’re going to be confronted with adversity and challenges with any enterprise, however you are able to do it should you actually put your thoughts to it,” Banjo informed theGrio.
Silver & Riley stands aside within the luxurious market not just for its high-quality merchandise but additionally for its dedication to group. “We’re greater than only a model; we’re a motion,” Banjo defined. “Our ‘Purchase One, Give 5’ program and group initiatives mirror our dedication to giving again and uplifting others, the place we give again 5% of our income as grants to girls entrepreneurs as effectively.”
As Banjo continues to innovate and develop, her imaginative and prescient stays clear.
“We’re making a legacy model that represents us on a world stage,” she informed theGrio. “Why not us? Once I take into consideration the enduring manufacturers that exist as we speak, they have been began by folks similar to me. If they’ll do it, so can we.”
Watch the total video interview between Lola Banjo, founding father of Silver and Riley, and theGrio’s Natasha S. Alford for extra insights on her journey and the inspiring story behind her model.
