Whitney Madueke

Whitney runs a blog called Desourire, from the French word “sourire,” meaning “smile.” An aspiring fashion designer, she began blogging at the end of 2013 as a way to share her style and fashion interests. At the time, though, Whitney was studying law; she wasn’t allowed to pursue fashion-related studies because it wasn’t seen as a lucrative career path. While she had a slight interest in law, she ultimately realized that becoming a lawyer was not for her. After receiving a degree in England and going to law school in Nigeria, she moved to NYC to study fashion design. Spending time in these three different cities has influenced Whitney’s approach to fashion--she says that it inspired her to dress like the woman she wants to become. To Whitney, style is a language, and hers is chic and unique to her own tastes. She dresses for herself and doesn’t follow trends blindly.  Whitney hopes that her journey shows her followers that it’s important to pursue the things that matter to you. For her, that’s fashion: five years from now, she hopes to be a successful fashion designer, influencing fashion and impacting lives in Africa and beyond.