Olaitan Maria Olatoke is a Nigerian fashion designer and the Founder and Creative Director of RobesandBlingsbyAkokomali (RBA), a contemporary bridal lifestyle brand exploring the intersection of Yoruba heritage, sustainable craftsmanship and modern femininity.
Through RBA, she creates garments that celebrate the emotional rituals surrounding womanhood, approaching bridal fashion as a cultural experience rather than simply a ceremonial tradition.
Her journey into fashion began unexpectedly through a degree in Theatre Arts, where she developed an appreciation for narrative, costume and visual storytelling. It was there that she first began to understand how clothing could communicate identity, preserve memory, and evoke emotion. That perspective continues to shape her creative practice today, informing every RBA collection with a strong sense of storytelling and purpose.
Determined to refine her technical skills, Maria pursued professional training in luxury bridal couture, where she developed expertise in corsetry, precision fitting and garment construction. She later gained experience within the creative team of an internationally recognised fashion house, contributing to collection development, fittings and visual presentation. Together, these formative experiences strengthened both her technical practice and her understanding of how thoughtful design, craftsmanship and a clear creative vision shape enduring fashion brands.
In 2024, Maria graduated with Distinction from the MSc Fashion & Lifestyle Marketing programme at the British School of Fashion, Glasgow Caledonian University London. Her dissertation examined the barriers to implementing sustainable supply chains among Nigerian fashion designers, exploring how responsible production can coexist with commercial growth.
The research deepened her commitment to thoughtful production, reinforcing RBA's made-to-order approach, considered sourcing, and belief in creating garments designed to be worn, restyled, and treasured beyond a single occasion.
Since founding RBA in 2019, Maria has developed a growing body of work that reinterprets African bridal traditions through a contemporary lens. Collections including Tíwa N Tíwa, which revisits the Yoruba white-cloth wedding ritual, and Ṣísì Èkó, which explores the emotional significance of the wedding morning, reflect her ongoing interest in cultural storytelling, craftsmanship and the evolving experiences of modern women.
Central to Maria's creative practice is the RBA Signature Print System, an evolving design approach that lets a single visual concept carry consistently across robes, sleepwear and accessories, supporting a cohesive identity across collections. Alongside RBA's made-to-order production model and circular design philosophy, the system reflects her commitment to creating collections that are both creatively distinctive and intentionally designed for longevity.
Maria's work has been presented at Cheshire Fashion Week, African Fashion Week Nigeria, and London Fashion Week. It has been featured in publications including Marie Claire, Hunger Magazine, KALTBLUT, and others. These milestones reflect the growing recognition of a practice that brings together cultural heritage, contemporary design and sustainable craftsmanship.
