Designed by Rose
She's an artist and a creator of beauty—designer of clothes, jewelry and handbags. And while the fashion world may not recognize her now, someday soon, they will.
Her name is Roseline Naozi Okoye and her passion is to create beauty. It is a drive that cannot be denied. “When I have an idea in my head, it must come out. It cannot be ignored,” said Okoye, who has thrived in her interior design studies at UCO.
She began life in the small country of Gabon, Africa, with only a 50/50 chance of surviving birth. Born the second of eight children, Okoye was given a tribal name, as is the custom in her native land. Her tribal name is Ngozi, meaning “blessing from God.”
“I knew at an early age in life that I wanted to create and design. When I was young I would use whatever material was around to design clothes for my dolls,” she said. “It was then that I realized that I wanted to make new and beautiful things.”
Using fine silk and velvets of reds, purples and blues and drawing inspiration from the simplicity of nature, Okoye never has only one project going at one time. In fear that ideas will become stale and the freshness of each design will wear out, she typically has five projects going at any time.
“I work like a madwomen. I do all of my own sketching in my head and from start to finish I will work non-stop for an entire week,” she said. “Sometimes it is hard to turn it off at night and get some sleep. My mind just keeps creating and it is hard to rest until it comes to life.”
She admits that she never draws images to design by, except on the sketchpad in her mind. “And if I ever lose that, it doesn't matter anyway,” she said. But she quickly explains reasons. “If I draw something out on paper, it won't work. It gives me guidelines that I have to follow and that cuts off my freedoms. Creating and inventing beauty takes space and that puts me in a box.”
However, having all of this creative energy does have a downside. “I am my own worst critic. I always seem to never be fully pleased with a finished product. I expect perfection and I know that this is very hard to achieve.”
So, while working hard today at obtaining her dreams of someday owning her own storefront, Okoye spends countless resources on producing the very best she dreams up. “I see Rose Creations, hopefully all over someday. I don't know how I am going to get there, but it will happen; I just know it.”
Feel free to contact Okoye at roseng2000@yahoo.com or call her at 312-1598. She would be glad to talk to you about any of her creations or any that you may have in mind.
