The Iyamah Sisters are Nigerian fashion royalty
At the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, Nigeria was celebrated for its contributions to global film. 8 films were debuted at the festival and several Nigerian and veterans got introduced to a global audience. The event was parcularly special for a certain actress who was honored as one of this year’s rising stars Somkele Iyama-Idhlama.
For many people this was their introduction to Somkele, Though they were already well aware of her sister, Dumebi Iyama. Popularly known as Dumsy, Iyama already at the age of 23, an international fashion juggernaut thanks to her swim wear brand Andreah Iyama Swim.
A.I. swimwear has been worn by everyone from Angela Simmons to Zainab Balogun to Bonang Matheba and her designs have been lauded for their originality and sex appeal. But believe it or not, Dumebi isn’t the only fashionable or famous Iyamah. There is also Somkele Idhlama.
Of course you may know Somkele from the Ndani TV sponsored tv show Gidi Up where she played fashion designer Yvonne, a role that couldn’t have been too much of a stretch to research considering her sibling is an actual designer. This isn’t Somkele’s first shot at acng either, she was a part of the ensemble cast of Tola Odunsi’s short lived The Island and has been in films like Flower Girl and Special Situaons.
But Somkele isn’t just an actress, she has been acve as a model since her university days at McMaster’s in Canada. She is also the brand manager for Dumebi’s swim, couture and ready to wear lines, a serious commitment that she manages with ease.
Both women aren’t always so serious. At the 2015 Lagos Fashion and Design Week showcase, Somkele surprised everyone when she only had a baby just a year before.
When you add Oby Iyamah, another sibling who is a terrific makeup arst and head honcho at Switch Cosmetics, you get the charmed threesome of Nigerian fashion.
Congratulaons Somkele!
