Jachuku Omotayo is Using Denim to Pave the Future

It's official - New York Fashion Week is well underway. Ahead of the highly anticpated season, we reached out to NYC based brand Jachuku Omotayo to discuss their upcoming collection. Last week the brand held an immersive 2 day presentation in collaboration with Izon Mag and JBL Studio. The event aimed to merge fashion, tech and innovation into one inspiring event. We spoke with founder and designer, Jachuku Omatayo, on what this moment means for the brand.

Photography by @i.r.m_perspectives and @geoffreynurse on Instagram

JEWELIE: Hi Chuks! So - tell us a bit about this new collection and what you hope to share through it?

JACHUKU: This collection is an exploration of denim through construction, texture, and the relationship between familiar garments and new forms. I’m interested in taking recognizable silhouettes and reworking them through exaggerated proportions, exposed details, and unexpected material combinations.

The pieces I presented at JBL reflect two sides of that exploration. One look focuses on a more architectural approach, with exaggerated shoulders, zipper detailing, and pleating. The other draws from Japanese school uniforms and anime, translating those references into a denim tracksuit with metallic trim.

The collection also represents a transition in my creative practice. I’m beginning to develop work under my name, Jachuku Omotayo, as a space for more conceptual and personal exploration. Bandit Studioz is still very much alive and will continue to grow as a brand, but I want to create room for both identities to develop in their own ways. Bandit Studioz allows me to build products and connect with consumers, while Jachuku Omotayo gives me the freedom to explore ideas through collections, material experimentation, and artistic projects.

Through this new chapter, I hope to share a perspective that feels both personal and accessible. I want people to recognize the garment, but also discover something new in the way it has been constructed. Ultimately, I’m interested in creating clothing that carries a story while still feeling relevant to the way people dress today.

Photography by @i.r.m_perspectives and @geoffreynurse on Instagram

JEWELIE: I really love the way that you highlight the difference of personality and design languages between your two labels. I'm curious - why denim as your medium of choice?

JACHUKU: Denim has always interested me because of its history, durability, and ability to transform over time. It is a material that can feel utilitarian, luxurious, familiar, or experimental depending on how it is treated.

I’m particularly drawn to its relationship with labor and the people who have historically worked with and worn it. That history gives the material a depth that I want to acknowledge while exploring what it can become through my own design language.

Denim also gives me a lot of freedom technically. I can manipulate it through washing, dyeing, pleating, exposed construction, and different sewing techniques. I enjoy pushing those processes to create new textures and surfaces, allowing the fabric itself to become an important part of the storytelling.

JEWELIE: Your presentation highlighted the intersection of fashion and tech - how important is tech and sound to you in your creative work?

JACHUKU: Technology is important to me because it expands the ways I can develop and communicate an idea. I use digital tools throughout my design process, from sketching and technical development to experimenting with silhouettes and presenting concepts. At the same time, I’m interested in how technology can interact with traditional garment-making techniques rather than replace them.

Sound is also a major part of how I experience fashion and culture. Music influences the energy, rhythm, and atmosphere I imagine around a collection. It can shape how I think about movement, presentation, and the emotional experience of a garment.

Being able to present at JBL felt like a natural intersection of those interests. The event created a space where fashion, sound, and technology could exist together, allowing people to experience the work beyond just seeing the clothes on a runway.

Photography by @i.r.m_perspectives and @geoffreynurse on Instagram

JEWELIE: How does your community inspire you and what did it feel like to be able to share this moment with them?

JACHUKU: My community is a huge part of what keeps me creating. Being surrounded by other designers, artists, photographers, musicians, and people who are building their own paths constantly exposes me to new perspectives. There is a lot of inspiration in seeing how everyone approaches their work and supports one another.

Community has also played an important role in the growth of Bandit Studioz. The brand has been a way for me to connect with people, build relationships, and create products that become part of their everyday lives. As I transition into developing work under Jachuku Omotayo, I want to carry that same sense of community with me while allowing the work to grow into new spaces. I don’t see the two as competing with each other. They are different expressions of the same creative journey.

Having people come out to the JBL presentation, see the garments in person, and engage with the process made the experience feel much bigger than just showing two looks. It was especially meaningful to share the space with other designers and have the opportunity to speak about the work.

Those moments remind me that fashion is not only about the finished product. It is also about creating connections, exchanging ideas, and building something that other people can feel a part of. I’m excited to continue growing Bandit Studioz while developing Jachuku Omotayo into a more expansive creative practice, and I hope my community can continue to be part of both journeys.

Photography by @i.r.m_perspectives and @geoffreynurse on Instagram