Salako Halimat started learning textile design, particularly tie-dye, as a means of survival, a skill to lean on rather than a calling. But as she kept creating, something shifted in how she perceived her designs. It stopped being just a way to make a living and became a way to express how she felt, what she experienced, and how she saw the world. That shift led to Blbrand.
Halimat wears more than one hat at the brand; she’s also a model, and that dual perspective shapes how she designs. Being on the other side of the camera taught her how much thought goes into creating an image, work she hadn’t fully understood until she lived it herself. It’s made her more attentive to detail, more willing to find inspiration in the way people move, in color, texture, and everyday moments.
That sensitivity to culture and craft runs through Blbrand’s core idea: reimagining Adire. For Halimat, she looks to use streetwear to propagate that heritage, bringing the two worlds together. “The world is evolving every day, and I believe our traditions can evolve with it without losing their identity,” she says. Blending streetwear’s everyday appeal with Adire’s heritage is her way of introducing traditional technique to a new generation.
Getting people to understand that vision hasn’t been easy. Halimat points to the early days as the hardest; doing something different meant convincing people to see it. It took time and consistency, but that effort is starting to pay off in the way people now connect with what the brand represents.
What she wants, in the end, is for someone wearing a Blbrand piece to feel seen and rooted in a strong sense of identity and culture.