This spotlight features Zainab Ashadu. Zainab Ashadu is the Creative Director of the luxury handbag brand ‘Zashadu’. She has a diverse background encompassing Art Curatorship, Architecture, Acting and Fashion Styling.
Being of Northern descent, Zainab creates her modern luxury designs using ancient Northern craft skills like tanning and leather dyeing.

Zainab utilises locally sourced, environmentally friendly materials to construct her designs while preserving traditional African art forms.

What is your profession?

I’m a handbag designer and an intuitive energy healer.

A brief bio?
My handbag brand is called Zashadu, and my healing: Harmonious Whole. I live with my 5-year-old (and my team of domestic staff), as well as a mini jungle with lots of flowering and fruiting plants and herbs.

What time does your alarm go off?
I wake up naturally between 5 am and 7 am unless I have a plane to catch. When I wake is when I wake.

What do your mornings typically look like?

• Scented candles and quiet time with God.
• Exercise (a daily non-negotiable 30-45 minute walk on the treadmill in my garden – This is where I usually catch up on audiobooks, podcasts or voice notes I’ve left myself over the week).
• Catch up with my son; we usually swap whatever dreams we had.
• Breakfast, shower, and by 9, I’m ready to face the world outside myself.

And your evenings?
On a regular day, my non-negotiable is that I stop work by 7 pm, latest. We have dinner, and then I watch a movie with my son or just hang out with him. I’m currently learning to play the piano, and I practise in the evenings. I potter around in my garden, gisting with my beautiful plants, whilst listening to music. I indulge in my head to toe skincare routine; I usually perform a healing session on myself about 2 times a week in the evening, right before bed. I’m in bed by 10 pm.

How did you get on this career path? 
I followed my heart and kept choosing my happiness. We are supposed to be happy in life; it’s not an elusive thing or a fairytale but our divinely ordained birthright. The moment I realised this, I walked away from all drama, including the news on TV.

Can you share some of your most memorable moments?
Beyonce promoting us as a notable Bag Brand to buy. The first time is showing at London and Paris Fashion Weeks. Setting up Zashadu Foundation.

In my opinion, societal change is an inside job; explore your inner world and implement changes lovingly. Actually become the change you wish to see so that every time you see your reflection, you are inspired and lit up. That energy is contagious; it’s divine love in motion

What do you love most about what you do?
Seeing my ideas come to life, the daily triumph of running a successful business in a notoriously difficult city to do business, seeing the excitement and joy in Zashadu collectors from all over the world, creating employment for fellow Nigerians, the fun of the whole thing.

What do you not like about what you do?
The fashion industry can be very toxic, and paradoxically, often tries to stifle true creativity. It also has played, for the longest time, on people’s insecurities; thankfully that’s beginning to change.

And what do you do at the weekends?
I go to the many beaches in the city; I practically live at the beach. I visit restaurants, galleries, or go to BBQs, swim, read, try out a new holistic therapy, sleep. Sometimes, I cook.

Who in the creative industry (globally) inspires you and why?
I would have to say Rihanna; she’s surprised me with her trajectory. She is honest, human and stays true to herself.

If you were not doing what you are doing now, what career path would you have taken?
Perhaps I’d be an athlete; I need to move all the time, and my energy levels are out of this world. Probably a Yoga or Pilates teacher. Being annoyingly zen everywhere I go.

What does societal change mean to you?

In my opinion societal change is an inside job; explore your inner world and implement changes within, lovingly. Actually become the change you wish to see, so that every time you see your reflection, you are inspired and lit up. That energy is contagious; it’s divine love in motion.