Today we’d like to introduce you to Omolara (LRÉ the Artist) Odupitan.
Hi Omolara (LRÉ the Artist), please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is LRÉ the Artist and I am a designer of garments & sound. I started designing when I was in the Air Force. I went through a bunch of hobbies because I worked night shift and all my friends worked during the day. I learned how to sew watching YouTube and I became very passionate about it very fast. I got accepted into the US Davis fashion show and that was the first time I really felt fashion design was my talent. I was the only designer there who made their garments 100% from scratch. People crowded around me all night wanting to know more about me even though I had only been sewing for a few months. lol
I didn’t know it then, but I know now that my muse is a feeling. Something about the tailoring of the military uniform gave me an immense boost of confidence and pride. When you see us walking in uniform with our chest out, it’s because we really do feel the way we look. My muse and inspiration is fueled by my desire to always feel that confident. When I wear my garments, I feel like a fashion solider, I feel like a rockstar and I want other people to feel the same way.
My label “Toyin LaTour” is named after my mom because I feel as though this dedication is the best way I can truly express my gratitude and love for my mommy. Now more than ever due to her brain injury, I am fueled with the desire to accomplish as much as I can while I still have time with her. I can’t imagine not being able to tell her all about my accomplishments. I want to wow her for as long as I can.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has NOT been smooth lol. I think we all have a story and how we choose to handle our obstacles is what makes us who we are.
My two biggest challenges have been managing the chronic pain from my injuries in service and coping with my mom’s brain injury.
When I separated from the military it was due to a reoccurring knee injury that I eventually had surgery for, a spinal disc injury, and the impact of weighted boots on my feet. These 3 injuries, have caused a domino effect within my body and I constantly battle with debilitating chronic pain. Everyday I feel close to defeated because of how restricted I am. I’m even having a hard time sewing these days and I’m always working with my doctor to find things that can give me a bit of relief. Being a disabled veteran and creative can be extremely frustrating but I am still learning to give myself grace.
3 years after I separated from the Air Force, my mom had a ruptured brain aneurysm. At one point she was in a coma and on life support. It was the worst time in my life, not only because this is my mommy, but because we didn’t see it coming. My mom was a super healthy busy body. She never complained of headaches or any other symptoms. For a while, her brain injuries were so bad she basically had no cognitive functions.
As of today, she still can’t talk and has limited motor functions but she is mentally aware now and lights up every time she sees me. When I wanted to move to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams, I cried myself to sleep for 6 months just at the thought of leaving. It felt like I was abandoning her and I knew if I stayed in my hometown, I would never truly be able to grow as an artist. Not personally but in the community sense. Growth comes from submitting to the understanding that you cant do everything yourself. I needed to network and build a team. I needed to grow my reach and collaborate.
I eventually spoke to my siblings about it and got their blessings. If I wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today as an artist. I still fly home to visit my mom every few months and I FaceTime her facility every week. But everyday I still wish I could see her in person whenever I want. I wish I were wealthy enough to buy land and move my whole family here and get my mom an in-home nurse just to see her everyday and not take her away from my siblings in the process.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Before anything, I am an artist. As a designer, it is important to me to create unique experiences because I already know I’m a talented designer lol.
My experiences are created using sound, texture, and presentation.
I create soundscapes to elevate the presentation of my garments, I incorporate sculpting into my fashion designs, and I challenge myself to build my designs from unique fabrics and silhouettes.
Currently, my focus is creating non-traditional fashion shows. I want people to feel at my shows the way my garments make me feel. I want to create for the sole purpose to presenting art. I don’t ask myself who, what, when, where, or why.
I create from the heart and submit to the understanding that the people who understand my creations are the people who will support me. Every time I put on a show, more and more of those people find me and i’m always excited to offer them something more.
I specialize in jackets and pants. I often tell people my aesthetic is high fashion streetwear but I actually don’t connect to that. I say it because I know it’s digestible but also because I’m not really sure how my style is titled lol I literally just create from a blank slate.
I am most proud of knowing that my art is being received in the way I am presenting it. Up until just recently, I had imposter syndrome really bad lol I was scared that my work did not match up to the way I have been describing it. However, my most recent show resulted in tons of people telling me how they feel about my work and what their perspectives are regarding its value. I’m seeing that people really do consider my art to be a unique and empowering experience and that is what i care about the most because that’s MY favorite thing to experience as an art consumer of any medium.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Unfortunately, I AM a big risk taker lol. I say unfortunately because it doesn’t always work out in my favor. lol
I take pride in knowing I am doing everything I can to follow my dreams. For my recent fashion show, I definitely maxed out all my credit cards to do so lol. I know the money will find its way back to me because the show put my on alot of radars. The show has shown people what I can really do and I know I will eventually enjoy the fruits of my labor. I never jeopardize my foundational structure like rent & bills, but everything else is fair game lol
I am 100% in support of people deciding to just pack up and move. Break that lease, quit that job, sell that car, because we can get through anything but you have to be bold enough to make certain moves for the better sometimes.
Pricing:
- My garments start at $350 although most aren’t for sale =)
Contact Info:
- Website: LRETHEARTIST.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lretheartist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamlre
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LREtheArtist
- Other: https://linktr.ee/lretheartist
