In a year defined by relentless challenges and breathtaking triumphs, Yolanda Okereke emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood costume designer of 2024—a feat that speaks volumes about her creativity and unwavering commitment to her ambition to further enhance Nollywood’s storytelling through fashion.
Yolanda Okereke had a busy year in 2024, contributing to the success of colossal projects like House of Ga’a, Seven Doors, and Everybody Loves Jenifa. She also served as the Fashion Principal for Style Magnate, a Showmax original reality TV show.
Reflecting on what she calls her “yearbook of 2024,” she reveals a journey that was as stressful as it was rewarding.
“They say ‘heavy lies the head that wears the crown,’” she muses, acknowledging how much work she put in last year and the weight of expectations that come with success.
Yet, despite the sleepless nights and the occasional fear of tackling colossal projects, she pushed forward because “Yolanda always finds a way“. “I don’t think I’ve ever taken on a project with the full arm of confidence and pride like I did this year,” she tells Netng.
Although she once nursed an ambition of appearing on screen, Yolanda Okereke‘s contribution to the success of ‘new Nollywood’ cannot be overstated. The Chemical Engineering graduate has been interested in film and fashion since her childhood days and has gone on to work on more than 50 Nollywood projects from The Meeting to The Wedding Party, to King of Boys, and Everybody Loves Jenifa.
Yet, Yolanda admits that while costume design plays a huge role in telling the story, its success is never a solitary endeavour. It involves an intricate dance between the director, the production designer, and the cinematographer. “It’s the director’s film,” she says, emphasizing the need to stay true to the director’s vision while also allowing her own creative insights to shine through.
“A director must be a visionary, not just a dreamer. The fire starts from the director and that will incite my own creative juices. ” she reflects before expressing her privilege to have worked with filmmakers like Mo Abudu, Femi Adebayo, and Funke Akindele.
Femi Adebayo’s Netflix original, Seven Doors and Funke Akindele’s Everybody Loves Jenifa are two of the most talked-about projects released in 2024. Yolanda Okereke worked on both and reflects on how the filmmakers helped bring the stories to life.
“Femi Adebayo is an amazing visionary. While working with him on 7 doors, he was very clear as to what story we were telling. So for the costume department and production department, we died on the line. He was so specific, like when we get to the location or look at the scene and hear how he wants to shoot it, we’ll understand why he wants it done like that,” she says
“Another visionary is Funke Akindele. On Everybody Loves Jenifa, We were so clear, mostly that carnival scene, like when she told me how she envisioned the scene. It was amazing. What we had to do was figure out how we could achieve it because we’re talking about working with about 1000 extras for 5 consecutive days.“
After working on several projects that primarily premiered on streaming platforms, 2024 was particularly remarkable for Yolanda Okereke because of her return to the big screen. She graced the cinema with not one, but three blockbuster movies.
“In the last couple of years, most of the projects I had worked on went straight to streaming platforms but I had 3 movies that premiered in the cinema last year. Having movies in the cinema is quite exciting because it’s a different audience. So, when you get feedback, it’s different from the movies on a streaming platform because the audience interacts differently. Also there’s something magical about seeing your work come alive on the big screen,” she says.
Filmone named Yolanda Okereke as Nollywood’s highest-grossing costume designer of 2024. She has also been nominated for the AMVCA and AMAA awards multiple times. While she appreciates the recognition, success for her isn’t measured by awards but by the impact of her work on audiences and the industry at large.
Whether that’s a film premiering in cinemas, a designer’s collection showcased at Lagos Fashion Week, or a classroom of aspiring creatives taking their first steps toward a career in design.
I’m not big on awards. I’m just big on the end product of the project and how it impacts the audience.
Yolanda Okereke
If you’re doing it for the awards, when you start, when you don’t get nominated, you back down, right? For me, winning is the reception I get from people interacting with what I do. Winning is helping that young designer become even better and succeed, Yolanda Okereke says.
Yolanda’s influence extends far beyond movie sets. She is passionate about nurturing the next generation, a passion that motivated her to take on the role of producer and Fashion Principal on Style Magnate —an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between established and emerging talent.
“What I do is really vast. It’s not just film, it’s also fashion. Teaching young designers and watching them grow has been one of the most gratifying parts of my journey this past year. I was glad to be on a show that gave young designers a platform to shine” she says. She envisions a future where more art spaces, exhibitions, and educational programs highlight the rich tapestry of Nigerian fashion and costume design.
Looking ahead, Yolanda is not one to rest on her laurels. She has already been commended for her contribution to ‘Something About The Briggs’, a 2025 film that many people have called “Nigeria’s Bridgerton,’ because of its remarkable story and high fashion.
With 2025 on the horizon, she’s already donning her producer’s hat for exciting new ventures, including a much-anticipated project slated for release in April and a series in collaboration with a popular entertainment personality.
“Some of my incredible work from last year is still unfolding, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next,” she says.
