On set, he stands before a white drop, with peeled eyes and a poised face. His chest is projected out, and his arms laid back as he intently glares through camera flashes and morphs from one pose to another. It’s now the cameraman’s job to capture every moment as it happens. If I did not know, I would assume he is a supermodel. When I ask how long he has been in the industry, he looks at me hesitantly, as though there is a long story, and indeed there is. “It is just the beginning, although I have always had a thing for fashion and photos, but you know, as I grew up life took its turns,” he says.
You might have a chance now but very soon, you will not be able to stay away from Daniel’s face. Behind the sharp eyes and chiselled jawline lies a funny and fashionable soul, and most probably the new brand ambassador of Abryanz Clothing and face of the global A(b) Community. We are on set shooting for the new Abryanz drop, the A (b) community campaign that is a celebration of the brands’ global community. I ask Daniel whether he feels part of this Afro-futuristic syndicate, he looks at me intently and says, “Of course!”
Like most people, his early life was not painted with glitz and glam. I ask if his childhood was unique in a way but he says “No.” Other than having a spot for humour, like most Nigerians, he doesn’t think there was anything outstanding about his childhood. Olaide is born to pure Nigerian parents, with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. In confirmation of his hilarity, laughter seeps through our conversation multiple times and in less than 2 minutes, one could mistake our conversation for a laughing contest as he jokes about his childhood and Nigeria’s culture.
Months back, when Daniel relocated to Uganda from Lagos Nigeria, this young man carried nothing but grit, a chiselled face, and tons of black joy. He tells me about his transition saying “I always felt like my significance was somewhere out there, not necessarily in Nigeria. When I finished my degree, I decided to move out of Nigeria. I had heard a lot about Uganda, its culture and ecstatic life so I decided to come here first. I knew I wanted to do something with fashion, but I came with an open mind. I was ready to pursue my dreams and find freedom in whatever form it would come” he says.
The budding model, whose blossoming career has been propelled even further as he was announced as the Abryanz ambassador is honored to be part of the Abryanz family. “Becoming a brand ambassador for Abryanz is a dream come true. I have fallen in love with the brand and gladly share in its values of inspiring young people to be fashionable, inclusive, and ruthless about the pursuit of their dreams without asking for permission. I can’t wait to see where this journey leads” said Daniel in the official Press Release.
He is also a student at Victoria University. There, he pursues his second degree, a diploma in Social Science & Humanities. I ask him why he decided to switch from computer science to humanities and he takes me back to his time at Oba Akinbiyi Secondary school in Nigeria’s Oyo state. “I was very good with art and design, but somehow, I didn’t give it time. I think it was because most of my friends at the time were all computer geeks, and so I went with the flow” he says, but his artsy side never left.
Brian Ahumuza the owner of the Abryanz brand describes Olaide as a resilient go-getter who never quits. “He is an aggressive go-getter with impressive resilience. Daniel possesses confidence, unique style, character, and is passionate in pursuit. Because of that, we are excited to bring him on board and go on a journey that will see us meet new opportunities and great adventures together. In addition to being fashionable, Olaide represents where the brand wants to go; Global,” said Brian Ahumuza.
To be fashionable can be mistaken with exclusively following trends, and confirming with mainstream styles. Although Daniel knows the latest trends, he is not afraid of curating his personal style. “Sometimes this may look like paring things together that people never thought could be harmonised. I think there should not be any rules in fashion, he says adding, When you look closely, most of the things that end up trending are things that people have said should not be paired together in the past. There is fun in being experimentaive, and then learning.” I tell him how in most cases, people either know what they want and stick to that, or they have no idea what their style is. What is interesting about Ola is his willingness to try on things outside his original style and gauge how he feels about the look.
Even though celebrities have been the target market for influencing and ambassador gigs, brands today are looking at strategy and drive for such partnerships. When I ask him what he looked for in a brand ambassador,
When I ask Brian how he came to consider Daniel as the face of his brand, even though he is not very influential, he says it was more important to find a person who knows what the brand stands for and is willing to uphold and push the brands’ values, someone like Daniel. “When a friend introduced Daniel to me, they had come to consult on how he can break into the modelling industry. Before they even touched the subject, I asked Daniel if he was a Model, and he said “That is what I had come to talk to you about.” We had the conversation, and they left. We had a few more meetings after that although I hadn’t thought he would end up influencing for my brand, but the better I got to know him by his authenticity, style and character, I understood that he would be up for the challenge,” he says. Daniel kept on shopping with Abryanz and always brought his friends along, which is literally what influencing is partly for.
Daniel is not yet on the top, but he is making steady strides to get there. “I am ready to experience this side of life, and to see where it leads me. I am excited and honoured to be here. And that is not just about the place that I am in my life, I am talking about the physical, spiritual, and all spheres of life. I feel grateful, for the people I have met and those that I am about to meet. It’s a good time to be alive” he says.
Although the Abryanz brand has been leading in men’s fashion wear, the brand’s target market looks like Daniel. He is young-spirited and unafraid of toeing with fashion. His style is solid but minimalistic and confident. When I ask him whether he is ready, he jokes saying “I was born ready.” Speaking honestly, he then says he looks forward to the journey ahead. “This is my favourite brand now so I hope I can represent it as much as it represents me, you, and others who are looking for a community to belong in.”
Credits
Photography: Isaac Baboki
Styling: Marvin Twesigye
Stockist: Abryanz Collection ⎮ Shop.abryanz.com
Editor: Mugisha Praise
Creative Direction: Brian Ahumuza
Wardrobe: Abryanz Collection
Set Assistant: Killian Made
G.D & Videography: Charlie Tekno
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