Fashion Beyond Textiles: Hooked by Lade
Omobolade Kolade in her designs from Hookedbylade
What do you call it when architecture and crochet meet? I believe you call it Hooked by Lade. A world where creativity from two different universes meets is bound to produce nothing short of a sensation.
Let us talk about the woman who creates crochet designs unlike anything I have ever seen.
Who Is ‘Hooked by Lade’?
Omobolade Kolade Mayowa, founder of Hooked by Lade, is a graduate from the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, where she studied Architecture.
Kolade started crocheting when she was 9 years old. She said it gave her peace and calmed her nerves. As she grew up, she focused more on her schoolwork, became a 9-to-5 worker, and then transitioned to freelance video creator and editor.
However, when she went for her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service, her love for crocheting was reignited. She was posted to a school in Rivers State to teach, and she said that between looking at the kids and her laptop, she needed something else to occupy her time.
Once again, she went back to the one thing that gave her peace. She took it a step further and started teaching the kids how to crochet, and she said this made her fall in love with it even more. She looked forward to teaching her students, and it even gave her a purpose.
When her one year of NYSC was over, she had given everything she had made to the locals. And once again, she left crocheting behind.
Kolade Mayowa is a woman who loves colors, children's education, and inspiring people. And of course, she is Hookedbylade, an architect who creates colorful masterpieces.
The Birth
After leaving NYSC, Kolade secured a 9-to-5 job and worked for two years before transitioning back to freelancing. This is where, once again, her love for crocheting came back into the light. She started small: scarves, beanies, caps, and occasionally a bag.
Interestingly, Kolade didn’t even attempt to turn her skill into a business at the time. It was the people around her who actually motivated her to start selling her bags. In fact, she tells Piggyvest that her sister came all the way from Abeokuta to encourage her.
But guess what? She still wasn’t sure. Crocheting was not a mainstream business at the time, and she didn’t know anyone who was successful in it either. Nevertheless, even in her doubt, she continued, and what she didn’t think would get serious actually became pretty serious.
It became so serious that people were literally calling her to pray for her business to expand, as it started gaining traction on Instagram. And that was when she buckled her seatbelt and made it a proper business.
She was still unsure, but Hooked by Lade was born regardless.
Crochet bag by Hooked By Lade
Image Source: Hooked By Lade
The Process
Once Kolade decided she wanted to crochet big time, she knew she had to be different. At first, she didn’t know how, but she eventually figured it out. She refers to herself as the crochet bag architect. She chose this title because of her discipline in school, and in an interview with OkayAfrica, she walks us through her work strategy.
She tells OkayAfrica, “The first principle is functionality. That’s in the sense of structural stability. It’s not just a crochet piece; it’s a bag, and it has to function as a bag…”
Her other principle is beauty. In her exact words, a bag should look beautiful.
Kolade also doesn’t believe in thinking inside the box, and this is what gives her an edge in the industry. Her designs are the blueprint, never a replica, and this is what happens when architecture meets crochet.
She ensures each order is an experience. She makes it special and unique.
It's been five years now, and Hooked by Lade has sold to customers in over 15 countries, delivering more than 1,000 orders. At first, she made only bags, but she shared her interest in also making dresses, and now she does.
Two-piece sets created by Hooked By Lade
Her Principle
Crocheting has often been viewed as a low-cost hobby, but Kolade is here to change the narrative by not only making a successful enterprise out of it but by eventually teaching people. She says, “I want to have crochet firms that can scout talented graduates or interns to work for them. I want to show aspiring crocheters or crafters that crocheting can pay the bills.”
She ran a crochet boot camp in October 2025 and now has multiple students enrolled in her crochet course.
Kolade wanted to make crocheting not a luxury, but a respectable business, and so far, so good. In 2024, she was interviewed by BBC News Yoruba, and she shared details of her work and story.
Her story is beyond inspirational; it’s a blessing to those fortunate enough to hear it. She proves that dreams do come true, just don’t give up.