The Fashion Insider Diary: Yomi Adegoke

A force to be reckoned with in the style and literary world, Yomi Adegoke is one of those women who exudes effortless elegance in everything she does. 

When she’s not on the red carpet donning vibrant yellow Roksanda dresses, attending brand dinners in Damson Madder or revelling in the glory of being a Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Yomi is a woman after our own hearts, admitting that after a busy week getting dressed, she usually opts for “pyjamas or comfy home clothes” on the weekends. 

Ahead of the paperback launch of her book The List, which hits shelves on April 29th we chatted with Yomi about all things fashion… 

What This Fashion Insider Wears In A Week:

© Yomi Adegoke

Day Two

The Brand Trip

I was in Morocco on a brand trip, so chose this Jakke co-ord because it was lightweight and airy, as well as being very cute. The scarf is from a Liberty London and Gant collaboration (I have a matching shirt, too), the bag is Radley, and both the earrings and necklace are by one of my favourite jewellery brands – Alighieri. The shoes are by Each x Every.

Day Three

The Fashion Party

When I got the invite to the Vanity Fair x Prada party at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cannes, I knew I had to make a statement with whatever I wore. So I went with this vampy De La Vali dress and these beautiful earrings by Completedworks- another great jewellery brand. I also brought my favourite Prada bag as when at a Prada party…what else!

© Daniela Dahur

© Jason Lloyd Evans

Day Four

The Brand Dinner

For this brand dinner, I kept things quite simple as I was running around most of the day. I wore a Damson Madder dress (I love Damson Madder, it kind of has Ganni vibes which I also love) with Penelope Chivers boots and my Mulberry Bag. I also went with silver jewellery – which is actually quite rare for me, but I’m embracing these days – by a brand called Namaste.

Day Five

The Red Carpet

Despite the majority of my outfit choices being quite monotone, I’m a big fan of colour. This was the red carpet for the unveiling of the 2024 Pirelli calendar and I chose this yellow Roksanda dress because I loved the interesting silhouette. Roksanda very kindly dressed me for the occasion and sent me these very fun boots too! I brought along my white Aspinal of London bag which matched my pearl earrings from Toolally, and a bangle which was from a Jigsaw x Collagerie collaboration to finish off the look.

© Yomi Adegoke

The Fashion Insider Low-Down:

Can you describe your personal style in a few words? 

How does it reflect your role in the fashion industry? I would say my personal style is definitely eclectic and changeable, depending on what mood I’m in.  I take a fun-first approach to clothes and heavily identify with the concept of ‘man-repeller dressing’, defined as ‘outfitting oneself in a sartorially offensive way that will result in repelling members of the opposite sex.’

What’s your go-to outfit for a busy day of fashion events and meetings?

How do you balance comfort and style? If it’s a busy day, then comfort outranks style for me. The only time I live by the adage ‘pain equals beauty’ is on the red carpet. Usually, I’ll go for something oversized but chic, with a comfortable shoe (long live the kitten heel – I live for a low shoe). This is where accessories come into play because I’ll then wear an amazing bag or some fabulous jewellery to dress it up in a way that doesn’t impact my comfort. 

What are your go-to brands?

I could wax lyrical about my favourite brands all day, but some go-to’s are Eudon Choi, Damson Madder, Aeron, Baum und Pferdgarten for everyday outfits. When it comes to more statement dressing, I am often in David Koma, Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda, Chopova Lowena, Louboutin, Staud, Christian Esber and Ahluwalia. I am partial to a Gucci bag and am obsessed with NEOUS shoes, which are super comfortable but also gorgeous to look at. 

Do you have any fashion icons or inspirations that influence your style choices? How do they inspire you?

I’m someone who most likes to show out on the red carpet and my biggest inspirations right now are Golda Rosheuvel, Anne Hathaway, Taylor Russell, Celine Dion, Zendaya and Hunter Schafer – they never miss. I’ve always been a fan of Solange’s clothes more generally and like everyone else, Chloe Sevigny – they are both effortlessly chic and timeless. But I’d say my number one inspiration is Tracee Ellis Ross. When it comes to fashion, she can do no wrong!

Weekdays can be hectic. What’s your weekday workwear wardrobe like, and how does it differ from your weekend attire?

My weekday workwear wardrobe changes every day because every day is so different. What I will say though is I’m usually busiest during the week so my weekday wardrobe is usually constructed with way more effort, whereas my weekend attire is often just pyjamas or comfy home clothes as I recover from the week that’s just been.

Accessories can make or break an outfit. What are your must-have accessories, and how do you use them to elevate your look?

Ever since I shaved my head I have been really big on statement earrings. I tend not to wear makeup every day and the right earrings can immediately elevate your look. I feel the same with bags – I have quite an extensive bag collection and my obsession stems from the right bag’s ability to completely change the vibe of an outfit

In the fashion world, trends are constantly evolving. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest fashion trends, and do you incorporate them into your wardrobe?

The reality is, I don’t! I have always just worn what I feel like, for better or worse. I will only ever incorporate trends if it’s something that speaks to me, but since trend cycles are getting even shorter, I find myself re-wearing old pieces more than ever these days. 

Many people admire the way fashion insiders put together outfits effortlessly. Can you share some of your styling tips for mixing and matching pieces?

I embrace matching as much as I do clashing – my family is Nigerian and culturally matching your shoes with your bag and details of your outfit is the done thing – I love how it pulls a look together. That being said, I’m really into gold and silver jewellery mixing, despite it being sacrilegious. 

Fashion insiders often attend high-profile events and parties. What’s your strategy for creating memorable looks for evening parties?

I usually style myself and whilst I wouldn’t say I have a strategy per se, I am very open to experimentation which I think makes each look pretty memorable. They’re all so distinct and it’s not always the case that one person wears something wildly different on each occasion – I don’t think people can necessarily predict what I’ll wear next!

The fashion industry can be demanding. How do you balance comfort and style when you have long days of meetings and appointments? 

One word – Crocs. The ugly shoe renaissance has probably been one of my favourite things to happen within fashion over the past few years. I love a slip-on shoe, whether they’re mules, clogs or Birkenstocks. But Crocs do have a special place in my heart and I have several pairs for different occasions. I even have a black pair from the Kurt Geiger collaboration with a fur trim, that I call my ‘formal Crocs’! I’ve worn them to many a red carpet, and zhuzh them up with sparkly Jibbitz.