Stepping Out With SHOLA Designs

With their new line, Shola Designs will bring color and flair to the runway at Haute Accessories Week.

The Designer - Shola Yusuff

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Shola Yusuf is the founder and creative force of Shola Designs. As a young girl, Shola loved to mix and play with patterns, textures and colors in her mother’s luxury fabric shop. She developed the sense of style and love of fashion that she carries with her to this day. “I always apply my West African design and fashion sensibility. I am very proud of my roots. My people are colorful, my designs are colorful. I am colorful.”

Shola moved to New York City from Nigeria in 1989 with less than $100 in her pocket. Taking security guard positions, she put herself through the College of Pharmacy at Long Island University, graduating in 1995. Next, she moved to Tampa, Florida and worked as a retail pharmacist for 8 years. In 2003, she opened her own pharmacy and now owns four in the Tampa Bay area.

In 2009, Shola was in a near fatal car accident in New York City. In the hospital ER, the first thing she asked the doctors was the whereabouts of her favorite pair of Christian Louboutins. “That motivated me to actually walk again because I couldn’t imagine never being able to wear them. At that moment, my life calling and my passion became clear to me. I would build my pharmacies and also design objects I wanted for myself -- starting with shoes!”

Shola always treats her shoes like art objects, selecting new designs with great care. She is now working on her second collection - all made in Italy. Shola and her team have created all the elements of an exciting new brand.

She admits it - she is addicted to shoes and accessories. "I devour every form of media when it comes to fashion. I travel 20 times a year. I am always away somewhere – West Africa, New York City, Hong Kong, Italy, and London. These are my main shopping and design destinations. I follow leading designers and the best retailers."

"I love being in the fashion world but then I always have been! Fashion Is An Art."

Visit Shola designs

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An ArtFul Display at HAUTE Accessories Week

Jose Gomez Fine Art & Broadway Photography Brings Art to HAUTE.

So, Artists Jose Gomez and Ron Vaz will be joining the HAUTE Accessories Week 5 years celebration. We could not help but invite these two creatives to share there enormous talents with our attendees. Their vast talents will be on display as you enter out venue's beautiful atrium area.And maybe...just maybe some art will grace the runway.

Jose Gomez Fine Art:

JGomez (Jose Gomez, Jr.) is a fashion and runway photographer based out of Tampa, Florida. After almost 10 years of experience working with hundreds of Florida brands, designers, models, makeup artists, stylists, and other photographers, he made the decision to pursue fine art photography through the lens his mantra, "feel life".

As a child, art was a central part of his life. Music, writing, an drawing were a constant throughout his childhood. In adulthood, he started a family early and by his early twenties already a father of four, earning a living through his technology and marketing background. For years, art took a back seat in his life.

But, now almost in his 40s, photography has been his art of choice. He hopes that what being a rock guitar hero was in his teens, fine art will become as he matures.

Constantly pushing his subjects for something the viewer can relate to and tangibly feel, JGomez continues to build on his experience and talent as a fashion photographer, bringing those skills into the world of art.

More on Jose Gomez Fine Art

Ron Vaz:

Ron Vaz is the Owner and Lead Photographer of Broadway Photography. Born and raised in New York, Ron relocated over 10 years ago to Tampa where he began his passion behind the lens. His keen eye and creative talents have benefited clients in creating more than just photos, but stories of life, love and inspiration through images captured. These things have helped him to expand in working with various clients in achieving their dreams to create stunning photos for commercial, editorial or personal use.

Ron has traveled the world taking photos in Italy and the Bahamas. His work includes being featured by Lane Bryant, multiple shows at the Tampa Museum of Art, and has been published in books and for advertising campaigns for businesses and non-profit organizations. Whether it's capturing food for the National Cuban Sandwich Festival or the fashion runway of HAUTE Accessories Week, Ron's work is well-respected by peers and clients.

To hire Broadway Photography for your needs, please call (813) 330-0724 or email bwayphotography@gmail.com.

To see these artists work on display, join us at Haute Accseeories Week. 

For tickets click

Jose Gomez Fine Art

Broadway Photography