Eloli: The Cameroonian Brand Rooted in African Heritage

Founded by three sisters Dibo, Sume, and Fese Oyeh, Eloli is a luxury fashion brand born from a shared dream to celebrate African culture through design. The name “Eloli”, which translates to “it is beautiful” in Cameroon’s Bafaw language, embodies the brand’s ethos of celebrating African identity through bold colors, textures, and patterns.

Co-founder and co-creative director Dibo’s early passion for customizing her own clothes sparked the idea, which the sisters later expanded into a full-fledged brand starting with handcrafted handbags, turning their shared passion for design and their heritage into a brand that merges traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. 

Eloli’s foundation lies in bridging gaps they noticed in the market — offering well-crafted, culturally expressive pieces that balance contemporary style with African identity. 

  

“I’ve always struggled to find things that I thought were beautiful and fit me well, were of good quality and allowed me to express my cultural heritage, and I noticed the same thing with family and friends,” Dibo tells The Folklore. “This helped us hone into the fact that there was a gap in the market and as a brand we could fill that.”

The brand’s designs are meticulously handcrafted in Cameroon, with a focus on craftsmanship, sustainability, and local empowerment. “As a brand, we’re really committed to high quality, to really providing people with products that are really well made, and are of the best quality that we can put out,” says Dibo. By embracing sustainability, Eloli incorporates end-of-line fabrics and recycles remnants into patchwork designs, promoting circularity and environmental mindfulness.

The three founders of Eloli

The empowerment of women is also central to Eloli’s mission, with 80% of its workforce being women supported through flexible working conditions and fair pay. “We’re committed to our people, because behind the brand there are so many people that make what we do possible,” Dibo says “And we want to make sure that we’re treating them fairly and giving them the best opportunities.”

For the sisters, Eloli is not just a business but a passion project. Winning awards such as the AfDB Fashionomics Africa Award and hearing from customers who cherish their long-lasting pieces have marked proud moments. Yet, what drives them most is the joy of seeing their work bring pride and cultural connection to wearers around the world.

Shop Eloli here