Lola Osire

History with The Curio:

Lola Osire (Lola Elan) was a featured designer in our Celebration of Chicago Style 2023, showcasing her work among the city’s most innovative fashion talents.

Recent News:

Lola debuted her latest collection at Threaded Stories: A Runway Show of Distinctive Fashion on October 2024, at The Woman’s Club of Evanston—celebrating bold design and narrative-driven style.

Designer Bio:

Lola Osire, founder and creative director of Lola Élan Studios, is a Nigerian-born designer whose work reflects a rich blend of heritage and hometown influence. Raised in Minneapolis and trained at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, Lola honed her craft further through a design residency with the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street.

Her design aesthetic is a celebration of duality—where bold, African-inspired elements meet the clean, modern sensibilities of the Midwest. This cultural intersection gives Lola Élan its signature edge: confident, conversational womenswear designed for the style-conscious modern woman.

Lola Élan is proudly based in Chicago, where every piece is thoughtfully designed in-house and produced locally. The brand emphasizes comfort, quality, and versatility, working only with fabrics that feel as good as they look.

As a slow fashion brand, Lola Élan is committed to sustainability. Each style is made-to-order, reducing waste and honoring a deeper purpose: to create something beautiful from every strip of fabric—one piece at a time.