Toyin Lawani: Survival, Family, and Running 33 Businesses Under Tiannah’s Place Empire. Let’s Reintroduce You to the King of Fashion — The Business Mogul
Toyin Lawani is a name synonymous with creativity, innovation, and resilience. From styling royalty to managing a fashion-tech empire, she has redefined the fashion rules in Africa. But behind the glitz is a story of survival, sacrifice, and success built from scratch.
In this exclusive with Red Edit Magazine for its May 2025 issue, the King of Fashion, Toyin Lawani, takes us deep into her world of wearable art, motherhood, health battles, and building 33 businesses under the legendary Tiannah’s Place Empire.
You’ve mentioned battling a spine disease and having implants. How have you managed your health while running your businesses?
I haven’t spoken about this publicly in a while. Dealing with the spine disease and raising my kids has been traumatic. After complications from my first spine surgery, I had to leave Nigeria and was on a tracheotomy tube with collapsed lungs—it took me two years to speak again. My family made me take a long break, but I couldn’t abandon my passion. That’s why people are surprised when my work appears—they don’t see the behind-the-scenes effort. I direct everything via video calls—sketches, production, shoots—because no one can execute your vision like you. Thankfully, I have an amazing partner, the Lenslord, who supports me creatively and personally.
Can you highlight the 33 businesses under Tiannah’s Place Empire and how you manage them alongside family life?
I used to run my businesses—like fashion, styling, makeup, photography, interior decor, and more—from different locations until I merged them all in Lekki Phase 1. Now, Tiannah’s Place Empire is a one-stop hub where clients come for one thing and end up booking everything. Balancing it with three kids isn’t easy, so I take them everywhere—I’ve had bad nanny experiences. Involving them keeps me focused. Sundays are strictly for family, no matter what’s on my schedule. Passion drives me, but family always comes first.
Your fashion designs often incorporate unconventional materials. What inspires you to choose such unique elements?
I’ve always been a dreamer, and I get attracted to futuristic pieces.
It could be a building or food that inspires me. But overall, I enjoy creating beauty out of ruins. Creating something out of nothing gives me joy.
Infusing African elements into art is also my thing.
Most times, people ask me why. I honestly don’t know why—I just know I love it, and I love standing out with my craft. I love creating what the world hasn’t seen before.
How do you balance innovation with wearability in your creations?
We all know I started the wearable art game in Africa. Most of my innovations come straight from the heart, and I make sure they are comfortable to wear to the red carpet or an event, not just for pictures. This is something I’ve achieved over the years.
As much as I have a market for everyone, I still stay true to my artistic innovation, and people are now embracing it more. This has also opened doors for me internationally.
Some perceive your style as controversial. How do you handle criticism, and does it influence your work?
People used to troll my work because it wasn’t the usual corset or Asoebi style, but I stayed true to my artistic side. I still design corporate looks daily, but the bold pieces get more attention. If I listened to critics, I wouldn’t be where I am—Hollywood now embraces what I do. I create for the world, not just society, and I focus on what makes me happy.
Tiannah’s Place Empire encompasses over 30 businesses. How do you manage such a diverse portfolio successfully?
It’s 33 businesses. My drive comes from my late mother, Princess Atinuke Babalola, who was a renowned businesswoman in her time. She was the Iya Oloja of her generation, and I’ve always wanted to carry on her legacy. I rebranded some of her businesses and built others from the ground up over the past decade. Some run online, others are physical, but together they form Tiannah’s Place Empire—a true one-stop shop.
Despite coming from a prominent family—my grandfather was the first Minister of Works in the Western Region, and my grandmother was a regent—I didn’t rely on that. I started my first business with just ₦15,000 while schooling at UNILAG, running a supermarket, a boutique, and later a spa. It’s taken hard work, vision, and consistency to manage it all successfully.
What keeps you motivated to continually expand into new ventures?
My legacy. I wanted to be the first woman who juggled being a mom and handled her business successfully. I’ve been in business for 25 years now, and I’m still at the top of my game because of my consistency.
You designed costumes for King of Boys: The Return of the King, Shanty Town, Finding Messiah, etc. How does costume design differ from fashion design, and what challenges did you face on these film projects?
Costume design goes beyond fashion—it’s about bringing characters to life through storytelling, script interpretation, and visual impact. Unlike fashion, where style is the focus, costume design requires a deep understanding of a role and scene. It’s tough, but it’s truly my calling.
For King of Boys 2, Kemi Adetiba took a chance on me. She gave me full freedom, saying, “I want your madness.” I read the script, sent my sketches, and she loved it. From Sola Sobowale to Charly Boy and RMD, every look had purpose and drama. Kemi trusted me completely—that kind of creative freedom is rare.
Not all productions can afford my rates, so I’m selective, but when I commit, I give everything. It’s demanding, but when you’re passionate, the results speak for themselves.
What was your experience like on The Real Housewives of Lagos? Did it impact you personally or professionally?
As much as we know, the show has a lot of toxic traits, but I was always focused on my goals. That was the reason I went there—to promote my businesses and let people get to know me better. But a show like that, with so many women with different egos, requires you to be careful not to derail.
I’m happy I kept it real as usual, and by now, everyone knows I don’t tolerate disrespect—I stand on business.
I was raised to give so much respect to others. I was already extremely famous before I went on the show.
The show has its positives and negatives—that’s life.
How do you balance your career with motherhood?
My family comes first in everything I do. I carry my family along with my day-to-day life, so it’s quite easy for me to watch over them when they’re close by. Even when I’m working, I’d rather have them checked into a room near me so I can stay close. We all have a bond, and we run a few businesses together. As you know, all my kids have their various businesses.
With such a packed schedule, how do you unwind and care for yourself?
We call it Family Sundays. Everyone knows—no matter how much you’re offering—my Sundays are for family, relaxation, and enjoyment.
We explore new places, travel for the weekend, and dine somewhere new.
You’ve mentioned that your mother significantly influenced your entrepreneurial journey. Can you share more about how she inspired you?
From age 9, I was already working under my mom. After school, I would go to her various stores and shadow her.
My mom had many businesses—she sold cars, textiles, gold, homewares, interior decor, catering services, and equipment. She had a salon, a hotel—it was a lot. I shadowed her through all of it. She was a fashion icon, and while she styled her friends and helped them choose designs, I used to watch.
She had very beautiful skin, so she taught me about natural herbs and remedies.
This helped me start Tiannah’s Glow Products, AmalaDotCom, and many more businesses.
You’ve been involved in various philanthropic efforts, including training individuals with disabilities. What drives your commitment to empowerment and giving back to the community?
When I started the Toyin Lawani Foundation, I worked with a few hearing-impaired girls.
I decided to train them as tailors and hairdressers at Tiannah’s Place Empire.
With time, it grew, and I kept doing it, reaching more people who needed shelter. Then I started my scholarship program.
Yearly, I would choose 10 candidates and train them at my fashion school, Tiannah.
As a self-taught fashion stylist and designer, what challenges did you face in establishing yourself in the industry, and how did you overcome them?
I learnt a lot from my mom while growing up, and that’s what shaped me into who I am today. My mom, Princess Atinuke Babalola, was a fashion icon in her time. When she passed on, I took over her businesses and rebranded them.
Over time, I realized that degrees open a lot of doors, especially when you want to compete on an international level and be taken seriously. So, I went back to art school in the UK to polish my skills, and it helped.
Opening my fashion school, TiannahStyling Fashion Academy, paved the way for many young creatives. Through my scholarship programs, I’ve empowered a lot of stylists and designers in the industry. None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t gone back to refine my innate talents.
What inspired the One Million Pins dress worn by Queen Mercy Oyekanmi at the 2025 AMVCA, and what was the creative process like?
It took over 20 people to bring that dress to life. We finalized the design late because Queen was busy on set and traveling, but I was determined to get the fittings done.
Each time I stepped away—even just for an hour to attend to my kids—I’d come back and find mistakes. We’d have to loosen everything and start all over again. Even with a good production manager on board, my eye for detail is different. I see things others don’t because it’s my vision.
When you’re not physically present, some clients get nervous about trusting your team. But thank God for blessing me with these gifts—I still manage to get things done over the phone, which is even more challenging. Talking too much hurts my lungs, and Nigerian staff can be Marlians—they will frustrate your life if you don’t monitor them, and even the person you assign to monitor them!
If you don’t stay on top of things, you’ll incur a lot of loss. But I’m grateful for the hard work I’ve put in over the years—that’s what has sustained me. That’s why big companies still seek me out for major projects.
Right now, I’m working on a huge movie project with Kemi Adetiba’s husband, Oscar Heman-Ackah. When it drops, it’ll be mind-blowing. The film industry will see Nigeria in a whole new light.
My voice was a challenge on set, but the team understood the creative vision and worked with me. God will always send people who align with your brand and believe in you, on your good days and bad.
The inspiration for the pin dress actually came from a piece I created for my art show on The Real Housewives of Lagos. I just wanted to take the concept to a whole new level—and I did. It was difficult, but I achieved it.
Sourcing the pins was tough—the gold pins in the market kept turning black, so we opted for silver, sprayed them skillfully, and then applied them. A lot of people think it didn’t take a million pins, but those tiny pins did add up. The dress was very heavy, but Queen carried it gracefully.
And yes, for those wondering, she sat down gracefully, too! The pins were securely clipped in, and all the sharp tips were glued to prevent injury. That’s also why we used an extremely thick fabric for the base.
What message were you hoping to communicate with the One Million Pins dress, and how do you think it reflects the evolution of fashion and technology in Nigeria?
This question is funny to me, because the same fashion, arts, and technology I’ve been experimenting with for over ten years, that I was once mocked for, is now what everyone’s trying to embrace.
I’ll say it with my full chest: I was the pioneer of fashion, arts, and technology in Nigeria. I’ve been a fashion icon for over a decade, with 25 years in the industry, and I’m still at the top of my game because I didn’t listen to naysayers. I stayed intentional and consistent.
Now we’re seeing more open-mindedness in the industry—maybe because people see me being celebrated abroad. You must be consistent with what you love and are passionate about.
To be honest, I wasn’t trying to communicate any specific message with the dress. This is just my style—my frequent approach to fashion. I simply wanted to create something the world had never seen before, stand out from the crowd as usual, and that’s exactly what I did.
Normally, I style over 30 clients for the AMVCAs, but this year I declined most of them because I wasn’t physically present. Some celebrities act like divas and create unnecessary drama for your team when you’re not there. I didn’t want that, so I only took on two clients who aligned with my spirit.
How do you see technology shaping the future of fashion in Nigeria, and what role do you intend to play in that transformation?
Let’s be real, fashion and technology haven’t fully taken off in Nigeria yet. Fashion and arts are starting to gain ground, but you know how it is—people often just follow trends instead of setting them.
But fashion and technology? I can boldly say I’m the only creative in Nigeria who’s been blending the two for years, not just today.
Most of the materials I need are imported and extremely expensive. Even when you find them locally, they cost a lot. You don’t want to know the lengths I go to for my technical dresses.
People don’t even understand how expensive my art pieces are. They see skulls and mock them, but do you remember the chandelier light dress I created for Denrele at the AMVCAs? That was no small feat, and I’ve done even more complicated creations like that.
Nigeria is blessed with so many talented artists, and I’m glad the time for fashion, arts, and technology to shine has finally come. Over the years, I’ve opened a lot of doors in this space. Some people copy my work, rebrand it, and never give me credit—but if it’s not Tiannah, it can never be Tiannah.
I’m called the King of Fashion for a reason. A lot of people who don’t like what I do simply hate my confidence. But I’m my cheerleader—I don’t wait for anyone to hype me up. I’m my loudspeaker, even when I’m standing alone.
I design for the world, not just for society. That’s why I never let them break me. If I had listened to all the negative comments from Nigerians about my work years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today—on the international stage.
Creative Team:
Stylist: Tiannahsplacempire
Outfits: Tiannahsplacempire/Elegantebytiannah
Photography: Lenslord
Makeup:
Purple Look – Tamars Beauty
Brown Look: Arami Signature UK
White look: Alison Leemae Artistry
Hair: House of FBL
Hair Stylist: Dami Hair Solutions UK
Shoes: Elegantebytiannah
Editor: Jovworie Tanshi
Editor in Chief: Omolara Cole Chiori
