"Some designs arrive fully formed. Others take months of living with an idea before it's ready. The Ododo was the second kind and today, it finally gets to bloom."
I have been sitting with this dress for a long time. Not in a way that felt stuck, but in the way you sit with something you know is important and want to get exactly right. The Ododo dress, named after the Urhobo word for Flower: is the most personal piece I have put into the world so far, and I want to tell you why.
The name came before the design. I knew I wanted to create something that felt alive, that moved the way flowers move reaching toward light, unfurling slowly, impossible to ignore once fully open. The Urhobo language, spoken across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, has a warmth and rhythm that felt right for this dress. Ododo. Say it aloud. It sounds like what it means.
The design
The starting point was the smocking. I wanted a bodice that was generous, that would stretch and adapt, that didn't ask the body to conform to it. The shirring runs from the neckline all the way to the hip, creating a texture that catches light beautifully and photographs with incredible depth. It is tactile in the best way: you want to run your fingers across it.
From there, the off-shoulder neckline felt inevitable. There is something about bare shoulders that changes how a person carries themselves; a lift, a lengthening. Paired with the voluminous puff sleeves, the effect is dramatic but never costume-like. The sleeves are gathered and full, with a soft, gathered cuff that keeps them grounded.
And then the skirt. I wanted something that moved. A full A-line in premium linen that sweeps the floor and holds its shape, structured enough to photograph beautifully, soft enough to feel effortless all day. The skirt is where the dress earns its name. When it moves, it really does look like a flower opening.
The colour
Why marigold?
The colour was never in question. From the earliest sketches, this dress was always going to be gold. Not muted, not dusty; a deep, saturated marigold that reads like sunshine made solid. It is the colour of celebration in so many cultures, the colour of flowers at their most confident.
I also wanted a dress that photographed well on a full range of skin tones, and golden yellow is generous in that way. It glows against deeper complexions and creates a beautiful warmth against lighter ones. Colour should be inclusive, not an afterthought.
Our Made-to-Order Promise
Because we believe in sustainable fashion, we do not hold dead stock. Your dress will be individually made for you from scratch.
- Current Production Lead Time: Please allow 10–14 business days for your dress to be hand-cut, sewn, and packaged in our London studio before shipping.
The Ododo is available today, launched on 27 June 2026.