Starting with online creative platform The Apārtment followed by the lifestyle brand Arva, Abisola Omole has dedicated the last eight years to evolving her community-driven creative hub. Her multifaceted role sees her planning and hosting events one week and taking a hands-on approach to interior design the next.   As a creative director, she takes the digital lead on projects for brands including Diageo and Bottega Veneta, and as a writer, she has recently joined Harper’s Bazaar US a columnist. In this Studio Visit, we explore her curated east London workspace as she reflects on her passion for storytelling and why community is key.  

Abisola: “I’d like to think I have always been a storyteller. I think it all stemmed from my love for film. From a young age I was always captivated by films, and in some ways, tried to live my life as if I was in one. I’d set narratives, develop character traits, add a perfect score; I thought life would be more meaningful if it was made up of complementary elements that you could associate with moments in time. You know how you hear a song, or smell a fragrance and you can sometimes feel a wave of nostalgia? Well, I try to do this, to create sentiment but in the every day and in all that I do.

“I started a fashion and lifestyle blog in 2008 (aged 15) and this was when I truly started to write and do photography regularly. Looking back, my early work was somewhat comical, but being consistent really helped me to find my voice and led to a real passion for researching and curating. Whilst studying, I launched The Apārtment. At the time it was a creative hub for online creators, where they could foster organic relationships and partnerships with brands, create content, discover new products and feel a part of the newly forming online community.

“Bringing digital creators together in a real space, as well as fostering organic relationships between creators and brands is still definitely an underlying ethos, but over the years we’ve taken a more hands-on approach to the experience and creative direction behind our projects.

“Our principal aim is now to bring our clients stories to life through innovative and aesthetic-driven experiences. Because Arva is a consumer brand, our aims are a little more personal and grounded in ensuring our customers experience something special, guiding them in discovering new things, and ensuring they always feel a part of our community.

“And community is everything. Community makes you stronger, smarter, better. I learn so much when I’m surrounded by people, when writing or growing companies.

“My studio space is in east London. It’s on the border of Walthamstow, Stratford and Leyton. I’m discovering so many cool local artisans almost every week, so this area is definitely filled with promise. The studio has warm hues, contrasting textures and elements of mid-century modern design. I like spaces that feel timeless — I don’t want you to look at somewhere I’ve created and think it can be attributed to a certain year or a style.

“The space is used as an office for all of my companies at the moment so the different teams work from here a few days a week with the option of working remotely. So much of our work requires us to be on location or travelling so the studio is more like a home we come back to, to re-group rather than where we fully base ourselves out of. Also, our studio can be hired out a few days a week, so we have all kinds of people here from film crews to friends hosting dinner parties, which is quite cool.

“We don’t have a lot of buildings around us and so we get direct sunlight into the studio, which means the lighting, especially in summer, is just magical. Our golden hour(s) are some of the best I’ve ever seen. When I arrive at the studio, I open our curtains as we have these huge blackout curtains — it’s great to get all the light in. Our building used to be a factory and we have high ceilings and a lot of random small holes, so I tend to walk around waving my hands every time I arrive, as I’ve walked into way too many spiderwebs over the years!

“My day usually starts with time spent researching and seeking inspiration so that I can fuse my initial ideas with history, which usually elevates them. Then it’s just a lot of back and forth, excitement and doubts, until I feel fairly confident with whatever I’m working on. I usually let it breathe and then come back to it and make final adjustments. I might not always have the time or patience, but I try to adhere to this outline when I can.

“While I work, I listen mostly to a combination of Classic FM and ocean sounds on my Sonos. I like listening to calming and energising sounds that don’t include words so my brain can focus. That being said, if I’m doing something a bit more physical like redesigning an area or sending out deliveries, then my playlist usually consists of Clairo, Leon Bridges, The Japanese House, Day Wave and Metric.

“We’re working on a number of client projects at the moment. Everything from designing bedside table setups to dinner parties. With all of our projects, I hope that our clients feel connected to the spaces, I hope they feel proud of them and I hope that every time they see the pieces or the areas in which we’ve curated, it makes them smile. I’ve always believed that your surroundings can dictate your emotions, so I’m just conscious to ensure I really produce something that exudes positivity, as well as staying true to the story they want their space to tell.”

语言：English