Chuks Collins builds clothes that refuse single definitions. His work fuses African-inspired motifs with Western tailoring, producing designs that have dressed Kerry Washington, the Jonas Brothers, Trevor Jackson, Jimmy Fallon, and Bailey Bass. Raised between Nigeria and the UK, his early training came from his grandmother, a skilled tailor who taught him garment construction. Growing up shaped his design language—precision tailoring anchored by references to African history and contemporary street culture.
Before fashion, Collins wanted to fly. His fascination with aviation began with a toy airplane, a birthday gift from his late mother. He pursued it seriously, studying in Nigeria and abroad, eventually earning a private pilot’s license. “When I was younger, I was an adrenaline junkie. I played football, did every sport, tried everything thrilling. Flying felt like the next adventure, so I enrolled in pilot school in South Africa, spending nearly six months training. It was intense, but I loved the discipline and the sense of freedom. At one point, I even considered going to the U.S. to pursue my commercial license.”
Fear of heights grounded him—literally. But that chapter installed discipline that continues to guide his work.
As a teenager, Collins spent hours sketching and drawing in secret, hiding his work from his mother and grandmother. When he left home at 15 for college, he began showing classmates his sketchbooks—characters dressed in imaginative outfits. The drawings drew admiration, particularly from female students. At Obafemi Awolowo University, he continued sketching. After moving to Lagos to pursue acting and modeling, he sketched portraits on campus to earn cash.
Fashion crystallized as a pursuit during university. A fellow church congregant preparing for her wedding complained about not finding a suitable aso ebi design. Collins sketched something original. She was impressed enough to show friends. But when the tailor’s execution fell short of his vision, Collins found himself frustrated—not just for her, but because he realized he cared deeply about how clothing could transform a person. The moment marked his shift from sketching characters in notebooks to reimagining how real people should dress, with an instinct to highlight body types and amplify individuality through design.
By 2006, Collins had earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting and Finance from Lagos State University and worked corporate jobs. But the pull toward fashion persisted. Early obstacles included self-doubt about family expectations—they’d envisioned a pilot or doctor. Another challenge: relying entirely on tailors to execute his sketches left him dissatisfied. Within his first year, he started sewing himself, drawing on lessons learned from his grandmother. He invested in self-training, took specialized classes, and traveled to Ghana to sharpen his skills.
Finances were a recurring hurdle. He funded operations through side gigs and an SBA loan, deliberately choosing not to take external investment.
After relocating back to Europe, he launched his first brand, Kholyns Couture, in 2006 as a bespoke tailoring studio. Then came a profound turning point: Collins survived a near-fatal car accident and kidney failure.
In 2015, he rebranded as Chuks Collins Brand, expanding into ready-to-wear and couture lines. The shift reflected a deeper personal mission, building an ethos around storytelling, sustainability, and purpose-driven design. “I’m not just a designer. I’m an artist. Design is a medium for telling my story,” he says.
Living abroad and working with established houses like Ralph Lauren exposed him to knowledge, discipline, and networks that classrooms couldn’t provide. But the rebrand marked the official beginning of his current vision.
Collins debuted at New York Fashion Week in February 2021 with the Black in Fashion Council, presenting “The Journey,” a collection that reflected his personal evolution and emotional resilience. He returned in September 2021, then again in September 2023 with increased polish and maturity in execution. His 2023 collection was sponsored by Cannex African Bank.
In September 2024, he presented his Spring/Summer 2025 collection, with backstage moments captured by The Impression. By February 2025, he debuted his Fall/Winter 2025 collection in collaboration with Lush Decor—a home-goods crossover sold on Amazon that integrated sustainable materials.
That collection, “Mycelia Whispers” (also called “Good Fungi”), explored regeneration, healing, and natural systems like mycelium networks. It was informed directly by his health journey, including kidney failure.
Each collection has reflected identity, personal narrative, and cross-cultural depth. Collins began producing collections through a cut-and-sew atelier in Nigeria and has supported emerging talent through incubator programs that brought five designers from the continent into the fold. He’s advocated for transparency around what it takes to become a designer—from sourcing to production.
Looking ahead, Collins is building a new atelier in Nigeria that will employ women who have experienced domestic violence, giving them opportunity through craft.
His latest collection, “Eden Reimagined,” reframes the story of Adam and Eve. The biblical narrative is typically told as shame, sin, and divine punishment. Collins reads it differently—as a coming-of-age tale about awareness, choice, and self-determination.
“For me, this biblical narrative mirrors my own journey, especially in how society perceives identity and expression,” he says. “People have often tried to box me in, insisting I belonged only to one sphere. They would say do evening wear alone. But like Adam and Eve, I’ve realized that growth demands ownership. It demands stepping into awareness and claiming the freedom to define oneself, not by imposed limits, but by vision, choice, and self-belief.”
Collins had been approved for the official CFDA calendar for Fall 2025 New York Fashion Week, but withdrew due to health reasons. He presented the collection independently on November 11. In July, Collins previewed Drop 2 at a Wolf & Badger pop-up in New York City. The full collection is available online.
When asked what inspires him most, he pauses. “For me, it’s a mix of everything. Places I go, people I encounter, the cultures I brush against. Fashion is simply one of the mediums through which these stories take form.”
He recalls his early days after moving to a new city, when his creative process took root in train rides. “I would take the train from the very first stop to the very last, sketching people along the way. Each borough had its own character, just like Lagos, where Aja is different from Surulere, and Surulere different from Yaba. You see it in the clothes, the postures, the small gestures. Each stop was like entering a new story.”
Weather is another influence. He admits to obsessing over it. “I absolutely love the weather. It shapes how I design. You’ll see it in my fabrics, my palettes, even in the names of my pieces.”
What he values most are the stories stitched into garments. “People say fashion always comes back, but for me, it evolves. It depends on who is creating it and what they are trying to say.”
A rebrand is underway, signaling an evolved identity and continued commitment to designing from the continent while supporting emerging African creatives through infrastructure, storytelling, and access. Whether in the sky or on the runway, Collins’ journey confirms that passion requires finding the right vehicle for expression.
