ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Walé Oyéjidé - Designer, writer, musician, lawyer
TED Fellow Walé Oyéjidé combats bias with creative storytelling.

Why you should listen

As the founder of Ikiré Jones, Walé Oyéjidé, Esq. employs fashion design as a vehicle to celebrate the perspectives of marginalized populations.

In addition to his role as the brand's creative director, Walé Oyéjidé designs Ikiré Jones's textiles/accessories and serves as the company's writer. Oyéjidé is a TED Fellow, and his apparel design can be seen in the upcoming Marvel Studios film "Black Panther."

Oyéjidé's design work was part of the "Making Africa" contemporary design exhibit, which was at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, and the HIGH Museum of Art in Atlanta. He was also featured in the "Creative Africa" exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. His work exhibited at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Fowler Museum, UCLA. He has been invited to lecture about his work in Brazil, Ecuador, France and Tanzania. His designs also appeared as part of the "Generation Africa" fashion show at Pitti Uomo 89 in Florence, Italy. 

Oyéjidé's writings include freelance creative copywriting for Airbnb. He is also an attorney, public speaker, and a recording artist/producer that has collaborated with J-Dilla and MF Doom, among others. And for what it's worth, Esquire Magazine noted Oyéjidé as one of the best-dressed men in the United States.

More profile about the speaker
Walé Oyéjidé | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2017

Walé Oyéjidé: Fashion that celebrates African strength and spirit

Vale Ojeđide (Walé Oyéjidé): Moda koja slavi afričku snagu i duh

Filmed:
899,451 views

„Biti Afrikanac znači biti inspirisan kulturom i biti ispunjen besmrtnom nadom za budućnost“, kaže dizajner i TED Fellow, Vale Ojeđide. Svojom markom Ikiré Jones (možete pogledati njihov rad u Marvelovom „Crnom Panteru“), on koristi klasični dizajn kako bi prikazao eleganciju i gracioznost često marginalizovanih grupa, u prelepo iskrojenoj odeći koja priča priču.
- Designer, writer, musician, lawyer
TED Fellow Walé Oyéjidé combats bias with creative storytelling. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
It is oftenчесто said that the storiesприче
of historyисторија are writtenнаписано by its victorspobednici,
0
869
4251
Često se kaže da priče
iz istorije pišu pobednici,
00:17
but if this is trueистина,
1
5144
1312
ali ukoliko je ovo istina,
00:18
what becomesпостаје of the downtroddenugnjeten,
2
6480
2048
šta se dešava sa ugnjetavanima
00:20
and how can they ever hopeнадати се
to aspireтежити for something greaterвеће
3
8552
2778
i kako oni mogu da se nadaju
da teže ka nečemu većem
00:23
if they are never told the storiesприче
of theirњихова ownвластити gloriousslavni pastsproљlosti?
4
11354
3372
ukoliko im nisu pričali priče
o njihovoj sopstvenoj slavnoj prošlosti?
00:27
OstensiblyNaizgled, I standстој before you
as a mereмере makerпроизвођач of clothingодећа,
5
15705
3920
Prividno stojim ispred vas
samo kao izrađivač odeće,
00:31
but withinу склопу the foldsnabore of ancientдревни fabricstkanine
and modernмодеран textilestekstil,
6
19649
3143
ali u naborima, drevnim materijalima
i modernom tekstilu
00:34
I have foundнашао a higherвише callingзове.
7
22816
1650
ja sam našao više zvanje.
00:37
ThroughKroz my work as a designerдизајнер,
8
25411
1509
Putem mog rada kao dizajnera,
00:38
I've discoveredоткривени the importanceзначај
of providingобезбеђујући representationпредстављање
9
26944
3103
otkrio sam važnost
da omogućim predstavljanje
00:42
for the marginalizedobezvrijedili membersчланови
of our societyдруштво,
10
30071
2942
za marginalizovane članove našeg društva
00:45
and the importanceзначај of tellingговорећи
the mostнајвише vulnerableрањив amongмеђу us
11
33037
3293
i važnost pričanja
i najosetljivijima među nama
00:48
that they no longerдуже have
to compromiseкомпромис themselvesсами
12
36354
2409
da više ne moraju da kompromituju sebe
00:50
just so they can fitфит in
with an uncompromisingbeskompromisni majorityвећина.
13
38787
2640
samo da bi se uklopili
u beskompromisnu većinu.
00:54
It turnsокреће се out that fashionмода,
14
42505
1594
Ispada da moda,
00:56
a disciplineдисциплина manyмноги of us
considerразмотрити to be trivialтривијалан,
15
44123
2470
disciplina za koju mnogi od nas
smatraju da je trivijalna,
00:58
can actuallyзаправо be a powerfulмоћан toolоруђе
for dismantlingraspuštanje biasсклоност
16
46617
3413
može zapravo biti moćan alat
za raskrinkavanje pristrasnosti
01:02
and bolsteringjačanje the self-imagesSelf-Images
of underrepresentedunderrepresented populationsпопулације.
17
50054
3579
i poboljšanja sopstvene slike
nedovoljno zastupljenih populacija.
01:06
My interestинтерес in usingКористећи designдизајн
as a vehicleвозило for socialсоцијално changeпромена
18
54833
3262
Moje interesovanje za korišćenje dizajna
kao vozila za društvenu promenu
01:10
happensсе дешава to be a personalлични one.
19
58119
1476
slučajno je lične prirode.
Kao nigerijski Amerikanac,
znam kako lako termin „afrički“
01:12
As a NigerianNigerijski AmericanAmerikanac,
I know how easilyлако the termтермина "AfricanAfrički"
20
60156
3178
01:15
can slipслип from beingбиће
an ordinaryобичан geographicгеографски descriptoropisa
21
63358
3262
može skliznuti od toga
da je uobičajen geografski opisni termin
01:18
to becomingпостаје a pejorativesmislu.
22
66644
1825
do toga da postane pogrdan.
01:21
For those of us
from this beautifulЛепа continentконтинент,
23
69686
2501
Za one među nama
sa ovog prelepog kontinenta,
01:24
to be AfricanAfrički is to be inspiredинспирирано by cultureкултура
24
72211
2983
biti Afrikanac znači
biti inspirisan kulturom
01:27
and to be filledиспуњен with undyingbesmrtna
hopeнадати се for the futureбудућност.
25
75218
2579
i biti ispunjen besmrtnom
nadom za budućnost.
01:30
So in an attemptпокушај to shiftсмена
the misguidedu zabludi perceptionsперцепције that manyмноги have
26
78647
4581
Pa, u pokušaju da promenim
pogrešne percepcije koje mnogi imaju
01:35
about the placeместо of my birthрођење,
27
83252
1675
o mestu mog rođenja,
01:36
I use designдизајн as a meansзначи to tell storiesприче,
28
84951
2896
koristim dizajn
kao sredstvo da pričam priče,
01:39
storiesприче about joyрадост,
29
87871
1538
priče o radosti,
01:41
storiesприче about triumphtrijumf,
30
89433
1443
priče o trijumfu,
01:42
storiesприче about perseveranceистрајност
all throughoutтоком the AfricanAfrički diasporaдијаспора.
31
90900
3007
priče o istrajnosti
svuda širom afričke dijaspore.
01:46
I tell these storiesприче
32
94580
1302
Pričam ove priče
01:47
as a concertedzabrinut effortнапор
to correctтачно the historicalисторијски recordзапис,
33
95906
3349
kao objedinjeni napor
da ispravim istorijski zapis,
01:51
because, no matterматерија
where any of us is from,
34
99279
2949
zato što, bez obzira na to
odakle je bilo ko od nas,
01:54
eachсваки of us has been touchedдодирнуо
by the complicatedкомпликован historiesисторија
35
102252
2626
svakog od nas su dotakle
komplikovane istorije
01:56
that broughtдоведен our familiesпородице
to a foreignстрани landземљиште.
36
104902
2238
koje su dovele naše porodice
u stranu zemlju.
01:59
These historiesисторија shapeоблик
the way we viewпоглед the worldсвет,
37
107728
2884
Ove istorije oblikuju način
na koji vidimo svet
02:02
and they moldкалуп the biasesпредрасуде
we carryносити around with us.
38
110636
2615
i one su kalupi pristrasnosti
koje nosimo sa sobom.
02:06
To combatборба these biasesпредрасуде,
39
114029
1762
Kako bi pobedio te pristrasnosti,
02:07
my work drawscrta aestheticsестетика
from differentразличит partsделови of the globeглобус
40
115815
2723
moj rad privlači estetiku
iz različitih delova sveta
02:10
and craftszanati a narrativeнаратив
about the importanceзначај
41
118562
2001
i gradi narativ o važnosti
02:12
of fightingборбе for inclusivityinclusivity.
42
120587
1489
borbe za inkluziju.
02:15
By refashioningpriиa o jednoj imagesслике
from classicкласика EuropeanEvropski artуметност
43
123217
2858
Promenom slika
iz klasične evropske umetnosti
02:18
and marryingбрак them with AfricanAfrički aestheticsестетика,
44
126099
2136
i njihovim venčanjem
sa afričkom estetikom,
02:20
I am ableу могуцности to recastdruga glumica people of colorбоја
in rolesулоге of prominenceProminens,
45
128259
3539
uspeo sam da spojim obojene ljude
sa uglednim ulogama,
02:23
providingобезбеђујући them with a degreeстепен of dignityдостојанство
46
131822
1914
pruživši im stepen dostojanstva
02:25
they didn't have in earlierраније timesпута.
47
133760
1919
koje oni nisu imali ranije.
02:29
This approachприступ subvertspotkopava the historicallyПостако што што што што Пост Имагес иии29
acceptedприхваћено narrativeнаратив of AfricanAfrički inferiorityinferiornosti,
48
137015
4484
Ovaj pristup podriva istorijski prihvaćene
priče o afričkoj inferiornosti
02:33
and it servesслужи as inspirationинспирација
for people of colorбоја
49
141523
2509
i služi kao inspiracija obojenim ljudima
02:36
who have grownодрастао waryопрезно of seeingвиди
themselvesсами depictedприказани withoutбез sophisticationсофистицираност
50
144056
3421
kojima je dosta da viđaju sebe
prikazane bez sofisticiranosti
02:39
and withoutбез gracemilosti.
51
147501
1150
i bez gracioznosti.
02:42
EachSvaki of these culture-bendingKultura-upravljanja tapestriestapiserije
52
150072
2159
Svaka od ovih tapiserija
koja menja kulturu
02:44
becomesпостаје a tailoredprilagođen garmentGarment
53
152255
1985
postaje skrojena odeća ili svileni šal,
02:46
or a silkсвила scarfšal, like the one I am
very coincidentallyslučajno wearingноси right now.
54
154264
3937
nalik ovom koji ja
sasvim slučajno nosim upravo sada.
02:50
(LaughterSmeh)
55
158225
1442
(Smeh)
02:51
And even when surroundedокружен
in a structureструктура of EuropeanEvropski classicismclassicism,
56
159691
3318
Čak i kada smo okruženi
strukturom evropskog klasicizma,
02:55
these narrativesнарације boldlyhrabro extollextoll
the meritszasluga of AfricanAfrički empowermentоснаживање.
57
163033
3864
ove priče hrabro veličaju
zasluge afričkog osnaživanja.
02:59
In this way, the toolsалати of the mastersgospodari
becomeпостати masterworksmasterworks
58
167798
4826
Na ovaj način, alat u rukama majstora
postaje majstorski rad
03:04
to celebrateславити those
who were onceједном subservientpodređena.
59
172648
2356
kako bi slavio one
koji su nekada bili podređeni.
03:09
This metaphorметафора extendsпродужава се
beyondизван the realmреалм of artуметност
60
177014
2227
Ova metafora se pruža
širom oblasti umetnosti
03:11
and out into the realправи worldсвет.
61
179265
1880
i izlazi u stvaran svet.
03:13
WhetherDa li wornnosio by refugeesизбеглице
or world-changingсветски се мења entrepreneursпредузетници,
62
181169
3787
Bilo da ih nose izbeglice
ili preduzetnici koji menjaju svet,
03:16
when people are allowedдозвољен
the freedomслобода to presentпоклон themselvesсами
63
184980
2667
kada je ljudima dozvoljena
sloboda da predstavljaju sebe
03:19
in a mannerманир that celebratesслави
theirњихова ownвластити uniqueјединствен identitiesIdentiteti,
64
187671
2817
na način koji slavi njihove
sopstvene jedinstvene identitete,
03:22
a magicalмагичан thing happensсе дешава.
65
190512
1776
magična stvar se dešava.
03:24
We standстој tallerвиши.
66
192312
1372
Mi ponosno stojimo.
03:25
We're more proudпоносан and self-awareSamosvesni
67
193708
1573
Ponosniji smo i samosvesniji
03:27
because we're presentingпредстављање
our trueистина, authenticаутентичан selvessamih sebe.
68
195305
2785
zato što predstavljamo
naše istinsko, autentično biće.
03:30
And those of us who are around them
in turnред becomeпостати more educatedобразован,
69
198620
3644
I oni među nama koji se nalaze oko njih
zauzvrat postaju obrazovaniji,
03:34
more openотворен and more toleranttolerantni
of theirњихова differentразличит pointsбодова of viewпоглед.
70
202288
3459
otvoreniji i tolerantniji prema njihovim
drugačijim tačkama gledišta.
03:38
In this way, the clothesОдећа that we wearносити
71
206809
2412
Na ovaj način, odeća koju nosimo
03:41
can be a great illustrationилустрација
of diplomaticDiplomatski softмеко powerмоћ.
72
209245
3770
može biti velika ilustracija
diplomatske blage moći.
03:45
The clothesОдећа that we wearносити
can serveслужи as bridgesмостови
73
213709
2143
Odeća koju nosimo
može nam poslužiti kao most
03:47
betweenизмеђу our seeminglyнаизглед disparateраздвојени culturesкултура.
74
215876
2561
između naših naoko različitih kultura.
03:50
And so, yeah, ostensiblynaizgled I standстој
before you as a mereмере makerпроизвођач of clothingодећа.
75
218461
5246
I tako, da, prividno stojim
ispred vas kao izrađivač odeće.
03:56
But my work has always
been about more than fashionмода.
76
224786
2429
Ali moj rad je uvek
bio nešto više od mode.
04:00
It has becomeпостати my purposeсврха
to rewriteпреписати the culturalкултурно narrativesнарације
77
228024
2763
Moja svrha je postala
prepravljanje kulturoloških narativa
04:02
so that people of colorбоја can be seenвиђено
in a newново and nuancediznijansirana lightсветло,
78
230811
3992
tako da obojeni ljudi mogu biti viđeni
pod novim i nijansiranim svetlom
04:06
and so that we,
79
234827
1215
i da mi,
04:08
the proudпоносан childrenдеца of sub-Saharanpodsaharske AfricaAfrika,
80
236066
2032
ponosna deca podsaharske Afrike,
možemo preći svet
04:10
can traverseпрећи the globeглобус
81
238122
1698
04:11
while carryingношење ourselvesсами with prideponos.
82
239844
1880
ponosni na sebe.
04:14
It was indeedзаиста trueистина
that the storiesприче of historyисторија
83
242767
2391
Zaista je istinito da priče iz istorije
04:17
were told by its oldстари victorspobednici,
84
245182
3346
pričaju njeni pobednici,
04:20
but I am of a newново generationгенерације.
85
248552
1793
ali ja sam predstavnik nove generacije.
04:23
My work speaksговори for those
86
251472
1440
Moj rad govori za one
04:24
who will no longerдуже let theirњихова futuresFutures
be dictatedдиктирана by a troubledузнемирен pastпрошлост.
87
252936
3513
koji neće više dozvoliti da njihovu
budućnost diktira problematična prošlost.
04:28
TodayDanas, we standстој readyспреман
to tell our ownвластити storiesприче
88
256473
3555
Danas, stojimo spremni
da pričamo naše sopstvene priče
04:32
withoutбез compromiseкомпромис, withoutбез apologiesIzvinjavam se.
89
260052
2793
bez kompromisa, bez izvinjenja.
04:35
But the questionпитање still remainsостаје:
90
263402
1650
Ali pitanje i dalje ostaje:
04:37
are you preparedприпремљен
for what you are about to hearчујеш?
91
265957
2929
da li ste spremni
za ono što ćete da čujete?
04:42
I hopeнадати се you are, because
we are comingдолазе regardlessбез обзира.
92
270981
3198
Nadam se da jeste, zato što
mi dolazimo bez obzira na to.
04:46
(ApplauseAplauz)
93
274622
6354
(Aplauz)
Translated by Ivana Korom
Reviewed by Tijana Mihajlović

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Walé Oyéjidé - Designer, writer, musician, lawyer
TED Fellow Walé Oyéjidé combats bias with creative storytelling.

Why you should listen

As the founder of Ikiré Jones, Walé Oyéjidé, Esq. employs fashion design as a vehicle to celebrate the perspectives of marginalized populations.

In addition to his role as the brand's creative director, Walé Oyéjidé designs Ikiré Jones's textiles/accessories and serves as the company's writer. Oyéjidé is a TED Fellow, and his apparel design can be seen in the upcoming Marvel Studios film "Black Panther."

Oyéjidé's design work was part of the "Making Africa" contemporary design exhibit, which was at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, and the HIGH Museum of Art in Atlanta. He was also featured in the "Creative Africa" exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. His work exhibited at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Fowler Museum, UCLA. He has been invited to lecture about his work in Brazil, Ecuador, France and Tanzania. His designs also appeared as part of the "Generation Africa" fashion show at Pitti Uomo 89 in Florence, Italy. 

Oyéjidé's writings include freelance creative copywriting for Airbnb. He is also an attorney, public speaker, and a recording artist/producer that has collaborated with J-Dilla and MF Doom, among others. And for what it's worth, Esquire Magazine noted Oyéjidé as one of the best-dressed men in the United States.

More profile about the speaker
Walé Oyéjidé | Speaker | TED.com