One local fashion mogul is going back in time to bring us the best mismatched, bright and fun styles of the ‘90s.
Baton Rouge resident Morgan Udoh creates original clothing and jewelry through her brands, Eclectic Thought Catalog and Okoye Couture.
Udoh has always had a passion for expressing herself through fashion. Through years of shopping at consignment stores and thrift shops, she learned the importance of having a style that expresses who you are as an individual.
“When you go to the mall, everyone’s selling the same thing, and it’s not interesting,” Udoh said. “You want something unique. You want something that no one else has, and so that was my drive.”
Udoh said her appreciation of one-of-a-kind fashion led her to create her clothing brand, Eclectic Thought Catalog. Udoh runs this business on top of working a full-time job as a way to channel her creativity.
Through Eclectic Thought Catalog, Udoh said she hopes to create a retailer where people can purchase clothes that are not necessarily “in style” but reflect one’s own personality. She uses bright and even odd clothing, giving shoppers the “eclectic” look the brand name promises.
“It is a bit of ‘90s nostalgia mixed with Asian Harajuku and really just anything I find interesting,” Udoh said. “Bright colors, acrylics, color blocks, patterns, anything that’s not your typical purple and gold, chevron-themed apparel.”
Some of Udoh’s best inspiration comes straight from the streets of China’s iconic fashion district. Her best friend moved to China near its fashion district about a year and a half ago, which helped motivate Udoh to start her own clothing company based on similar styles.
“I had her start looking at the brands in wholesale in the garment district there, and she would send me samples and send me pictures of ideas,” Udoh said. “I’ve been working with her for over a year now picking out wholesalers over there for my brand.”
Udoh advocates for individuality and self-expression through clothing and her jewelry brand, Okoye Couture. As her company gets bigger and starts attracting more customers, she wants originality to be one of the shop’s main hallmarks.
Looking toward the future of her brand, Udoh said she wants to start offering “exclusive options” for certain items. These pieces of clothing will be produced in small quantities to ensure customers are buying merchandise that won’t be seen on anyone but you.
“Fashion is an expression of yourself, and if everyone is wearing the same outfits, it kind of removes the joy from shopping,” Udoh said. “Part of that joy is finding something no one else has, so I’m looking forward to launching out exclusive options where you can know when you buy that piece, it’s well-made and no one else has it.”
