My Style: Okey Nwoke, founder of the ATL Fashion Tech Collective

Nwoke is bringing Atlanta’s fashion and tech communities together

April 12, 2019

5634

My Style: Okey Nwoke, founder of the ATL Fashion Tech Collective — Nwoke designed this jacket using a gift from his late father: “Isi Agu” (which means “lion’s head”) fabric from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. “Wearing it helps me communicate the duality of my African and American cultures,” says Nwoke. “It’s truly vintage and is worn by chiefs in my culture. Think West African luxury!”

IT project manager–turned-entrepreneur Okey Nwoke started the ATL Fashion Tech Collective four years ago to bring Atlanta’s fashion and tech communities together. Fashion has always been part of this former model’s life, from his early childhood in Nigeria—where he learned to use fabrics and colors to celebrate occasions and recognize communities—to his current role as a client advisor at Louis Vuitton. As a stylist, he’s worked with publications like People magazine, celebs like Issa Rae, and brands like Dasani. For him, “fashion is more than clothes; it’s about self-expression, story, and visual communication.”

Neighborhood
Decatur. I was born in D.C., so being in a neighborhood where you don’t have to drive forever to get to things is huge.

Reading
Right now, I’m dipping in and out of a few books; one is The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness by Andy Puddicombe.

Fave food
Fu-fu. Fu-fu is pounded yams that you eat with different kinds of soup. Ask any West African, and more than half will say fu-fu is their favorite food.