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Growing up in Queens, New York, Syracuse University senior John Ayoola Fadugbagbe often traveled with his Nigerian parents to a family-owned tailor. There, he regularly studied a method of garment creation that used the fabrics of his culture. These moments, he said, along with his home borough’s vibrant culture, propelled his fascination with fashion and led him to launch a “new era” of styling with his brand, Ameresome.

“Fashion to me is more than just clothing, it’s a lifestyle,” Ayoola Fadugbagbe said. “Ameresome is a movement. It’s a future of thinking and creativity.”

Ayoola Fadugbagbe was one of 12 student and local businesses to set up shop Monday in Schine Student Center at Hair Me Out and the Black Flea Market Expo. The events celebrate this year’s Black History Month by elevating Black excellence, artistry and entrepreneurship. The afternoon was a joint effort by SU’s Caribbean Students Association and the Diversity and Inclusion Student-Athlete Board.

As Martin J. Whitman School of Management students, CSA president Janese Yana Fayson and DISAB co-presidents Peyton Rollins and Lexi McNabb formed a strong bond through shared classes.

When Rollins, a SU track and field member, and McNabb, a women’s basketball player for the Orange, were elected to their roles in DISAB, Rollins said they began their leadership with the primary goal of collaborating with non-athletic organizations. With Fayson already in her role as CSA president, the opportunity to partner with CSA was “perfect” for Rollins, and it easily fell into place.

“This is really gonna give these entrepreneurs a lot of exposure that they might not have had before,” Rollins said. “We’re trying to bring what we can from athletics over here, any connections that we might have to give these people the opportunity.”

On Jan. 29, SU News announced “African Americans and Labor” as the theme of this year’s Black History Month. According to its website, this focus “explores work and working of all kinds, free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary” in Black culture. Rollins said the overlap of the event and the theme mix well, as it gave each entrepreneur an opportunity to gain both revenue and exposure.

“They can even make business connections and business partners during this expo,” Rollins said. “Putting them all in one place is going to be really powerful for all of them.”

From nail artists and lash technicians to vintage clothing vendors and a grills designer, business owners chatted with friends and new acquaintances. Trap music rhythms played in the background as people exchanged laughs and hugs amid the sharing of mission statements and brand backstories.

In his vendor space, Ayoola Fadugbagbe displayed a rack of bomber jackets and denim stitched with various sourced patches. He said his “alive” pieces — designs that tell a story — are inspired by a fascination with vintage military fashion.

Isabella Genes, a sophomore communications design major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, visited the event with three of her friends. A self-described creative and Moody Magazine’s chief operating officer, Genes said she enjoys everything in the design realm and especially loves supporting small, creative businesses.

“I always love to hear why people are creating stuff and I love to be a part of it too,” Genes said. “Especially because people support my craft, so I also want to give back.”

Brycen Pace | Asst. Photo Editor

John Ayoola Fadugbagbe spends 30 to 40 hours on each of his garments for his clothing brand, Ameresome. He uses individually sourced patches primarily on bomber jackets and denim wear.

Aside from his roles as Ameresome’s founder and creative director, Ayoola Fadugbagbe also maintains his professional and academic careers as a political science major on the pre-law track. Though law, he said, has nothing to do with his passion. Instead, it’s a way to support his hobby. Balancing coursework and creative expression is like “two different worlds,” but he’s rooted in making time for his knack for clothing design.

“At the end of day, I have to wake up every day and decide that I want to keep going and keep pushing,” Ayoola Fadugbagbe said. “I just have a love for it.”

His work is meticulous — 30 to 40 hours are dedicated to each garment. One piece on display, which also appears on his brand’s Instagram page, is a nylon olive green bomber jacket featuring pins and patches with various icons and brands, like an American flag and a Hertz Car Rental logo. The attached patches were individually sourced, each holding its own story, he said. It’s this kind of sentimental value that drives him to continue pursuing his talents and sharing his art with the world.

During McNabb’s time as a Whitman student, she said she’s recognized a decline in the number of Black students enrolled in the college. She said it’s not everyday she walks through the building’s halls and sees someone who looks like her. But, she believes Black students in Whitman are starting to become more comfortable in themselves, especially with events like Hair Me Out and the Black Flea Market Expo.

“We’re also displaying what we’re learning in the classroom,” Rollins said. “We are running this organization, we are partnering with other organizations. It’s really a full circle moment for us to really apply what we are learning in the classroom into the work that we’re doing as co-presidents.”

Published on February 3, 2025 at 10:48 pm

Contact Savannah: sfstewar@syr.edu