rhoda
If success can be expressed in styles and colours, Banke Olasunbo Balogun (BOB) would certainly be the most eloquent and articulate of them all. Her love and passion for her works are undeniably inspiring which made her StarCentral Magazine’s Fashionista of the Month for the month of November 2014. Banke was honest to admit that her big fashion dream started in a carpet of doubts but it didn’t take long enough for her to flip her view as she began immersing herself wholeheartedly to the world where she deeply belongs.
Banke’s artistic style is a mixed of influences and experience. She is of Nigerian decent who was born in New Jersey and was raised in Virginia. At 16, she decided to pursue her modelling career and moved to California. She now lives in Los Angeles while making opportunities for herself and continuously enriching her fashion ideals.
Recognising her interest in fashion at an early age has allowed Banke to explore her skills and talents in all angles. Although modelling was the catalyst of it all, she also embarks herself to styling, fashion and blogging. At 21 years old, Banke decided that it was not enough to just watch fashion bloggers build the industry she loves. She knew she had to be part of that hence, the birth of her own space called With Love, Banke.
Fashion blogging has been an integral part of her. The success of her page is further validated as various popular brands such as LeBunny Bleu, Markwins International, Eshakti and Billion Dollar Brows started to notice her work. As if it’s not enough, her strategy to promote her blog through Facebook, Chictopia, Lookbook.nu, Dahlia Wolf and Instagram had invited more online publications to feature her style. Magazines like Fashion Bomb Daily, Faces of Black Fashion, Feather Magazine and others had all expressed their desires to be part of her art. Now, who needs a blogging for dummies book?
Banke certainly loves everything about Fashion. Her loved ones support and inspire her to become a successful blogger although she looks at it as a part-time career in the future. Currently, she is a full-time MPH candidate at UCLA but she couldn’t deny the fact that having a career in fashion is what she intends to share for the rest of her life. “What I enjoy most about blogging is the creative freedom that comes with it. I can write whatever I want whenever I want without having to gain approval from anyone”, she stresses.
Furthermore, Banke carries a massive bag of dreams. Aside from her future plan to get back to modelling, she also hopes for amazing opportunities like attending the NY and Paris Fashion Week. Banke can juggle almost everything impressively. In fact, she also aims a career in global health to help address neglected tropical diseases such as Malaria.
As her blog page continues to draw attention from famous fashion brands, Banke still remains grounded to her roots. In her free time, she enjoys watching Korean dramas such as Boys over Flowers and collecting perfumes. Banke Balogun is a passionate fashion artist who stays true to herself. Undoubtedly, this would make her an elite stylist for big shows one day.
‘LIGHTNING FAST’ ROUND:
1. What is the one beauty product you can’t live without? I have two actually – Ghanaian Black Soap and Spa Cosmetics Original Dead Sea Face Cleanser from Israel. These two products have worked WONDERS for my face. I highly recommend both.
2. What is the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to change your looks? I’ve never done anything extremely drastic but I would definitely say going blonde at one point in time was the most drastic hairstyle I’ve ever had. I definitely miss it!
3. What is in your makeup bag when you travel? Riri Woo lipstick, Eos Lip Balm, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Kit if I have a brow emergency, NYX eye liner and my Hello Kitty makeup brushes.
4. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself? Hmm…difficult question. I would say my big eyes!
5. Your best guilty pleasure… watching reruns of Sex and the City.
Jenny Aluning
hollie
Jason Harris
