For co-founders Sefiya Diejomaoh and Adenike Macaulay, clothing has always been about more than appearance. It is about presence, intention, and how a woman chooses to show up for moments that matter. Friends for over 25 years, Sefiya and Adenike have built full lives across different industries and geographies. Their conversations about style were rooted in lived experience and a shared frustration with what was not available to them. They saw a gap for women who no longer wanted excess or spectacle, but still valued beauty, strength, and care in how they dressed. Over time, those conversations sharpened into a clear decision to build something that reflected who they were and how they lived.
As Niya Madi marks its first year, the brand stands as a considered response to that original conviction. Launched with restraint as a guiding principle, Niya Madi sits between formality and ease, offering pieces designed to feel intentional without being performative. It speaks to women who dress with confidence rather than volume, and who understand that elegance does not need explanation. Each piece reflects a balance of structure and movement, shaped by Sefiya’s background in architecture and bespoke couture, and Adenike’s experience in business leadership, aviation, and hospitality.
The brand has grown steadily and intentionally. Collections are released when they feel ready, not rushed. Client feedback, observation, and instinct guide decisions, allowing the work to deepen over time. Niya Madi dresses women for meaningful occasions, with the belief that clothing becomes part of memory, not just imagery. In this interview, with Funke Babs Kufeji, Sefiya and Adenike reflect on friendship, creative alignment, and trust. They discuss building a business together, defining African luxury in a quieter register, and designing for women who are established yet still evolving.
You have been friends for over 25 years. When did the idea of building Niya Madi together move from conversation to conviction?
What started as shared conversations about our personal style and frustrations with what was available to us gradually became something deeper. The shift to conviction came when we realised we were describing the same woman, the same values, and the same vision for how women like us wanted to be seen. Once we saw that alignment, it stopped being a dream and became a responsibility to create what we knew was missing.
Niya Madi launched with a very clear point of view. What did each of you feel was missing in fashion for women at your stage of life?
We felt there was a gap between occasion wear that was overly dramatic and everyday wear that lacked intentionality. For women at our stage, we wanted clothes that felt intentional, not loud, powerful, not performative. Pieces that could move with us through life’s meaningful moments without screaming for attention, and also versatile pieces that could be styled differently without too much fuss.
The brand is rooted in restraint and intention. How did you align early on about what Niya Madi would never be?
We were very clear that Niya Madi would never chase trends, over-embellish, or compromise on quality. We agreed that if something didn’t feel timeless, refined, or true to our woman, it simply didn’t belong in the brand, and this has been our mantra till date.
Your backgrounds are very different. How do those experiences show up in the way you build the brand day to day?
Sefiya brings an architect’s precision, a designer’s eye, and a deep respect for craft. Nike brings structure, systems, and a commercial mindset shaped by business leadership, aviation, and hospitality. Together, creativity meets discipline, and that balance is the backbone of Niya Madi.
Fit, structure, and finishing are central to Niya Madi. How do you work together to balance wearability with strong form?
We are constantly in dialogue, sketching, fitting, refining, and testing. Sefiya pushes the artistry and structure, while Nike advocates for movement, comfort, and real-life wearability. The final piece always has to pass both of our standards.
The collections have grown steadily from Lima to Aura without feeling rushed. What guides your decisions on when to evolve and when to hold back?
We listen to our clients, observe how they wear the pieces, and trust our instincts. Growth for us is organic, not forced, depth, not speed. If an idea doesn’t feel fully ready, we wait till it is. For us, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We never want to compromise on what the brand stands for.
You often dress women for meaningful moments rather than everyday noise. Why was it important for Niya Madi to be part of milestones and not trends?
It is important to us because clothes carry memory. We want our pieces to be associated with joy, achievement, love, and transformation, not just a fleeting moment on social media.
The Niya Madi woman is described as established and respected. How much of her is a reflection of who you are now versus who you are still becoming?
She is both. She reflects our present confidence and our evolving ambition. In many ways, we are designing for the woman we are today and the woman we are still growing into.
Building a business with a long-time friend can be both grounding and challenging. How do you handle moments of disagreement without losing trust?
With honesty, respect, and clarity. We separate friendship from business when needed but never lose sight of our shared purpose. Trust is our strongest asset.
African fashion is gaining global attention but often expected to perform culture loudly. How do you think about representing African luxury in a quieter, more measured way?
We believe African luxury can be subtle, refined, and sophisticated without losing its identity. Our fabrics, silhouettes, and style speak to our heritage, but in a modern, global language. African luxury can be powerful in its quiet, representative without being tribal.
Sefiya, your background in architecture and bespoke couture brings precision to the designs. Nike, your background brings scale and systems. How do you decide whose instinct leads at any given moment?
We lead based on context. In design moments, Sefiya’s instinct often takes the lead. In business strategy and growth, Nike steps forward. But every major decision is ultimately collaborative.
As women who lead in different industries, how has your relationship with style changed as your authority has grown?
We dress with more intention and less apology. Power dressing for us is about presence, not volume, confidence, not spectacle. “As our authority grew, our style became quieter and stronger.”
What do you think the fashion industry still gets wrong about dressing mature women?
It often assumes maturity means boring or invisible. We believe mature women deserve bold elegance, modern silhouettes, and clothes that celebrate their power.
Looking ahead, what does growth look like for Niya Madi if you remain committed to restraint and quality?
Thoughtful expansion, deeper craftsmanship, wider reach, select global presence, and stronger storytelling, without diluting who we are.
When a woman chooses Niya Madi, what do you hope she understands about herself before anyone else notices the clothes?
That she is worthy, powerful, and beautiful enough, exactly as she is. And that she belongs to a powerful tribe of Madi Women who show up every day in the true essence and allure of who they are.
