Nicholas Dex Talks Changing The Fashion Industry With ODF Clothing
Nicholas Amfo-Gyamera also known as Nicholas Dex, is the Founder of One Diverse Fashion (ODF Clothing) a unisex lifestyle fashion brand that specializes in sports luxe. Nicholas has been working tirelessly to ensure his brand ODF embraces diversity by pushing their ethos ‘standing in to stand out’.
With the recent launch of ODF’s’ Active unisex tracksuits’ collection, we were keen to speak to Nicholas to find out more about how ODF has grown from a grassroots brand to a global brand that has seen various celebrities spotted in ODF clothing including Afrobeats artist Sarkodie, Ed Sheeran and Stormzy. Nicholas tells us what part the ODF brand plays in influencing society and what he would change about the fashion industry.
ODF has certainly grown over the years and we have watched it happen right in front of our eyes. What have been some of the challenges that you have faced and how have you overcome these?
It’s been amazing growing a brand that celebrates unity and diversity, and builds on the importance of classic fashion, for over 10 years. The idea of ODF Clothing was based on extended arts, lifestyle, and culture. Through this idea, we strongly stuck to our principles and ethos. It has been difficult because times have changed, and we have tried to make our brand more of a lifestyle rather than a trend. Sometimes when you’re not the trend, you can be under looked but we’ve always stuck to our mission – ‘Standing in to stand out’. We’ve built authentic relationships along the way. It’s about playing the long game; getting your parents to wear ODF, young adults, and kids, without looking out of place. We want it to be so recognizable in the future as a timeless brand that celebrates authenticity. I have been able to overcome challenges by staying true to our roots.
The purpose of ODF is to unite various personalities. How would you describe the ideal ODF Consumer?
The ideal ODF consumer is the individual that is ‘Standing in to stand out’ – literally our slogan. They’re an individual that can stand in with anyone but have that character, giving them the ability to stand out. Whether it be their hairstyle or the way they wear their clothes – this is what makes them stand out. I don’t pinpoint and say it has to be a person that looks a particular way, but more so someone’s character and their attitude to life and fashion. They’re able to be simple yet effective in how they represent themselves.
ODF embraces diversity; ‘standing in to stand out.’ What role do you think your brand plays in influencing society/the fashion world to become more diverse?
Growing up, when I was in school, I was exposed to diversity. People from different cultures and different backgrounds and that gave me the understanding that the world was much bigger than it seemed. The fashion industry took its time to celebrate this diversity as it didn’t see enough of it. It was hard for young models or brands to come out as they weren’t used to diversity, so I feel like it’s important that my brand holds that foundation on the essence of celebrating diversity. It’s very important that we understand that diversity must be celebrated in everything we see and do. We need to be open to versatile cultures and see how beautiful it is, how rich it is, and the power of us coming together. I want to celebrate this in ODF because that’s where we’re headed in society, and that’s how it should have been from the beginning.
Images by Renn Studios
We stuck to our name and ethos – One Diverse Fashion (ODF) isn’t just the name; it’s the lifestyle and the movement. We embrace this through our campaigns and everything else that we do. You will always see diverse models and combine their cultures. Eventually, this will be seen as the norm – whether it’s your workplace or interracial marriages. There are many circumstances where we have to engage with different cultures, and I think it’s important to embody that through clothing because we all wear clothing. I want to ensure that ODF embraces that at all times.
Being a British fashion brand, what do you think is unique about British fashion?
Starting ODF in Britain has been an advantage as there’s a great perception about Britain – it’s got this royal attachment to it; there’s a classic, timeless tradition. There are a lot of long-lasting qualities attached to Britain and with ODF, we have been able to adapt that to everything we do. Our items are really durable, and we focus on the quality of fabrics to embody our collections. Being a young British designer myself, it is important to take that tradition and mindset and embark on the clothes we make. This has had a positive effect because there are some traditional factors that never get wiped out. British culture has helped our brand which is presented in the style and logo.
What, if anything, would you change about the fashion industry?
If I could change anything, I would say that there should be fewer rules. There’s so much talent from different aspects of life that I feel can help the industry prosper in a creative way. London Fashion Week, as an example, is where I give myself the opportunity to present great events like Rip the Runway UK (RTRUK), where we give young designers the platform to creatively show their pieces so that they have a start-up to attract the right buyers and people to move forward. Also, there should be more opportunities for young people to have fashion internships. People should scout in different places for young talent instead of there being a system that is trying to manipulate how people can get into the fashion industry. Just having more openness, where there are less rules, but more creative input being placed.
Browse online with ease and shop the full collection at odfclothing.com
