Oluwagbemisola Okunlola, also known as Gbemi, is the founder and creative director of Alonuko, a bespoke and elegant luxury bridalwear and women’s eveningwear brand. Expressing herself through design and presenting it to the world through fashion, Gbemi is a powerhouse of creativity and grit.
Having been creating since the age of 11, Gbemi followed in her mother’s footsteps and crafted her first dress at her home in London. From that point on, Gbemi committed herself to making a leading British bridal and eveningwear brand, offering intricately hand-designed embroideries and matching illusion tulle garments, especially crafted for women of colour who are so often underrepresented in fashion. In 2015, she established Alonuko, materialising her dream of creativity, fashion, and design. Through pop-up shops and clothing shows in America, Alonuko is growing its US customer base, and Gbemi is committed to expanding and sharing her talent and passion for making every woman feel beautiful in herself.
Through honouring each curve, all cultures, and every identity, Gbemi has earned various recognitions and awards for her stunning works. Recently named among HSBC's and UK Black Business Show’s 25 Top Entrepreneurs to Watch, she was also one of the four winners of Channel 4 and Lloyds’ Black in Business Initiative, receiving £150,000 worth of advertising airtime across Channel 4.
With appearances across Vogue, Insider, and The Huffington Post, Gbemi continues to demonstrate herself as a force to behold in the space of unique and customised bridalwear. She recently featured on BBC's Wake Up To Money live programme and spoke to Forbes Family Group at the HSBC Innovation Banking HQ, detailing the story of her fantastic journey from creating dresses in her home to running a worldwide brand that is committed to celebrating the female form instead of simply hiding imperfections. A trailblazing inspiration to creatives and entrepreneurs alike, Gbemi is the perfect guest for a multitude of events, from corporate engagements to national and global fashion affairs.
- 2025 – Winner, Black in Business Initiative
- 2025 – Named among HSBC's and UK Black Business Show’s 25 Top Entrepreneurs to Watch
- 2015 – Founder & Creative Designer, Alonuko
How to hire Oluwagbemisola Okunlola
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Oluwagbemisola Okunlola for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
