by Rachel Ogbu//

Ade Hassan has announced the launch of her new footwear label, designed exclusively for women of colour following the success of her Nubian Skin lingerie established in 2014. On a mission to rival current UK footwear giant, Nike, Ade says her brand has gone with classic designs and in colours not readily available.

“Shoes were something I always wanted to do, so when I met a fantastic manufacturer we thought we’d jump on the opportunity. Shoes are another thing that is regularly made in ‘nude’, but not in a spectrum of colours.”

“Nubian Skin was born out of my own frustration of not being able to find what I wanted in shops. Nude lingerie and hosiery in my skin-tone was something that simply wasn’t available, so I decided to create it! I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt this way,” Ade Hassan (who studied English and Economics at Duke University and completed her masters at SOAS) tells Ebony Magazine.

Beyoncé is a fan of this brand and incorporated Nubian Skin in The Formation World Tour – it has also received recognition from Beverley Knight, Thandie Newton and Kerry Washington. Additionally, towards the beginning of January 2016, Nubian Skin launched a Curve Collection of nude hosiery to expand their inclusivity.

The Africa Collection called Moroccan Nights, is the latest launched which is a limited edition, luxury lingerie and sleepwear collection inspired by and made in Africa.

Nubian Skin is currently based in London and are sold worldwide at several online retailers including ASOS.com, House of Fraser and Nordstrom. Nubian Skin also supports the CoppaFeel! ‘Bra Hijack’ campaign.

In September 2015, Ade Hassan received the Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. In October 2015, Nubian Skin was nominated for Hosiery Brand of the Year at the UK Lingerie Awards and won UK’s Favourite British Designer of the Year. Ade Hassan was nominated as a finalist for the Black British Business Awards.

“Our philosophy is Empowering Women & Embracing Our Colour. We want women of all ethnicities to feel included, appreciated and most of all sexy, in lingerie especially tailored for them! The Nubian Skin Woman is any woman who wants to feel comfortable in her own skin.”

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