THE ARTIST

Irene Yèga Omiunu is a British-Nigerian fashion artist and educator who over the last decade has garnered an enviable client list including British Vogue, Vogue Arabia, The Dubai Mall, Maison Ladurée Paris, Diane Von Furstenberg, Fashion Trust Arabia and Boghossian; thereby cementing her place as one of the leading voices in fashion illustration.

From covering entire walls at the world’s largest shopping mall to creating fashion portraits of HRH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar, Yèga has been privileged to work on many exclusive projects. Her status as a pioneer and thought leader in the field of African fashion illustration and her masterful use of digital paint have led to global invitations to speak and teach at world leading galleries and art institutions; notably The V&A Museum, The Courtauld Institute of Art, The Courtauld Gallery and The Africa Center in New York City.

She is the founder of Fashion Illustration Africa, the first and only organisation dedicated to promoting the sub-genre of African fashion illustration with a specific focus on mentoring the next generation of artists. This was born from a desire to firmly establish this genre of the Arts on the African continent and to promote cross border knowledge exchange with illustrators in the Global North, thereby providing young creatives with training and access to digital and virtual learning opportunities.

With an MSc in International Management with Marketing (Distinction) from the University of Exeter, she has applied a global perspective to her art practice and creative consulting through her work at Studio Yéga.

She is a founding Trustee of the Association of Authors and Illustrators of Nigeria (ACAIN).

Yéga is also an author/illustrator whose diverse picture books centre black African protagonists and focus on educating children about self-love, food, travel and culture.