Born in San Francisco and raised in East Palo Alto,CA, Ayodele has always had a keen eye for unique styles and designs for the home, body, and soul. She is an artist by nature who has long desired to bring life to her creative imaginations for people other than herself. Noted for being a perfectionist and extremely meticulous, Ayodele established DUAFE after giving birth to her “bamboo clutch,” - distinctive, one-of-a-kind handbags she calls “Wearable Art.”
Incorporating design skills she learned as a child, Ayodele began handcrafting each purse using unique textiles and fabrics, and embellishing them with exotic flowers, feathers, crochet, rhinestones, beads, buttons, and/or ribbon. The use of each fabric and designs are limited, making this unique DUAFE collection highly sought after and the envy of the beholder. With a deep love for accessories, Ayodele extended her line of products to include shell jewelry, home art, and clothing – all of which stem from inspirations out of her personal closet collections.
DUAFE, a Ghanaian adinkra symbol meaning patience, fondness, love, and care, encompasses the spirit and essence behind its existence. The motivations for DUAFE not only embody Ayodele’s entrepreneurial spirit and desire to share her art with the fashion conscious, but also her aspirations to bring about positive change in underserved communities. Much of her time is dedicated to improving community and youth development for impoverished and/or neglected populations as a mentor to young adults, and 8-year director of a youth leadership program in East Palo Alto, the Leadership Training Academy. Her aspiration is to create capital through various business ventures, and reinvest money back into needy communities.
Thank you for visiting Duafe’s website,
Peace & Blessings