Simi Iluyomade

Staff Writer at VERSUS

United Kingdom

I recently completed my MA at London College of Fashion, studying fashion journalism. For my final degree project, I created a print magazine focusing on British football style and culture. I have previous work experience as both a social media assistant and a writer for various publications, websites, and blogs, including Carine Roitfeld's fashion magazine, CR Fashion Book.

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Portfolio
Get Your Kits Out
Master's Project (Print Magazine)

My final MA project was a magazine focusing on British football style and culture. I did all the layout and graphic design and wrote all the articles.

VERSUS
11/22/2023
A Love Letter to Megan Rapinoe

Every kid has their heroes. Some look up to the usual comic book icons like Spiderman or the Hulk, whilst others might take inspiration from historical figures like Nelson Mandela or Malcom X.

VERSUS
09/15/2023
One of Our Own: Alina Akbar

This partnership between VERSUS and Sports Direct celebrates the impact football fans have on their communities across the UK. Football has the power to change the world for the better, and these individuals embody that message better than anyone else.

VERSUS
09/01/2023
One of Our Own: Jojo Sonubi and Scully

"Arsenal had all these Black men in the squad, and I remember thinking: "I like this! I want to be a part of this!" VERSUS: When you ask people why they support a certain team, it's usually because someone in their family does. How did you both start supporting Arsenal?

VERSUS
05/24/2023
Anitta is Ready to Take the World by Storm

The bond between football and music is as strong as ever. The Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi has only strengthened that bond in recent years, reserving the opening moments of the biggest match of the year for talented artists to perform in front of record-breaking crowds.

VERSUS
09/22/2023
One of Our Own: Chris Paouros

"We just started building relationships centred around bringing about change in football by making it a more inclusive space." VERSUS: How was it that you first started to incorporate football into your work, or has it always been a major focus for you? Chris Paouros: I feel like I've been an activist all my life.

VERSUS
10/23/2023
Arsenal Women Acknowledge Lack of Diversity After Squad Photo Criticism

Arsenal Women have released a statement acknowledging the team's lack of diversity and efforts to change that following criticism of the club's 2023/24 squad photo. Arsenal's first-team is decidedly white, without any ethnic minority players in the entire 27-woman squad.

Unpublished Coursework
Worldwide Zine

A portfolio project in which we had to create and execute a concept for a magazine. Worldwide is a zine centring internet culture, with a focus on fashion. The project was written and designed by me.

CR Fashion Book
02/07/2020
The History Behind Harlem's Fashion Shows

Despite a large history of fashion and sartorial culture within the African American community, blackness did not truly enter the mainstream American fashion industry until the latter half of the 20th century, after the civil rights movement. Prior to this breakthrough, many black designers exhibited their clothing in their communities and held runway shows and pageants in churches and other public venues.

VERSUS
05/10/2023
PSG and Esteban Cortázar Celebrate Latin Culture with a Parisian Twist

Paris Saint-Germain continues to dominate the fashion x football space with a new capsule collection designed by Esteban Cortázar. The collection merges Cortázar's Colombian roots with Parisian chic, resulting in a colourful capsule fit for a holiday in the French Riviera.

VERSUS
03/30/2023
Nike Drop Leakproof Shorts Ahead of the Women's World Cup Amidst Period Concerns

Nike have announced the new Nike One Leak Protection: Period shorts, recreating the much-loved Nike One short with a leakproof barrier. The updated shorts have a laminate gusset, a two-layer material specifically made to absorb menstrual blood. The double-knit spacer next to the skin absorbs on the top layer, while...

VERSUS
04/04/2023
adidas and Ajax Release a 70s-Inspired Capsule Collection

Ajax's new lifestyle collection in partnership with adidas pays homage to the Amsterdam club's three consecutive European titles in the early '70s and leans into the decade's aesthetics for this groovy drop. The capsule includes a jersey, a tracksuit, two t-shirts, a quarter-zip, and a pair of Sambas. The club's...

Parachute Media
04/09/2021
Hijabi Fashionistas: How Modest Fashion Took Over Instagram - Parachute Media

When people hear the word "influencer," they are quick to imagine the perfectly filtered feeds of young 20-somethings. Spray-tanned complexions, lip filler, and the universal "Instagram face" make it difficult for anyone on social media to see beyond the surface of style influencing. However, within

VERSUS
03/17/2023
Peachy Den Celebrate International Women's Day With Their 'Glory Days' Drop

London-based clothing brand Peachy Den celebrated the launch of its latest 'Glory Days' drop with a football tournament in celebration of International Women's Day. Teams from across the city balled out in celebration of the brand's newest collection influenced by the Lionesses and their historic Euros win last summer to...

VERSUS
03/30/2023
Here's What Went Down at Chivas' Weekend of Women's Football in Manchester

Over the weekend, Chivas joined forces with Manchester United to host a two-day celebration of women's football, closing out Women's History Month with a bang. The weekend kicked off with a training session hosted by Manchester United Women's coaches a day before the Red Devils took on West Ham in...

Parachute Media
04/09/2021
Black Hair vs The Entertainment Industry - Parachute Media

The lack of diversity in the entertainment industry is a topic that has been picked apart and analyzed for decades. Diversity and inclusion initiatives have pushed aspiring black and brown actors, filmmakers, and screenwriters to pursue careers in the industry in an effort to add color to predominan

CR Fashion Book
04/22/2020
How The Sims Became a Hub for Digital Fashion

The strong digital presence of luxury brands today has engaged millions through stay-at-home initiatives, with designers and fashion houses hosting live performances and offering online classes and workshops. As the industry looks to innovative platforms to stay current during the global pandemic, digital fashion and luxury has found an unlikely home in one popular video game as Sims users bring high fashion into the virtual space.

VERSUS
04/17/2023
The Paperboy Paris x Nivelcrack Collab has Landed in Transcontinental Style

Paperboy Paris' latest fashion collaboration saw the French café join forces with Seoul-based creative studio and clothing brand Nivelcrack to release a capsule collection fit for the football-obsessed. The South Korean brand, known for its football-inspired designs, linked up with the Parisian café-turned-streetwear staple to create a limited collection consisting...

Parachute Media
04/09/2021
Why Black Luxury Brands are Held to a Different Standard - Parachute Media

The recent news of Rihanna's luxury clothing brand, FENTY , stopping all production has sparked a familiar conversation about Black-owned designer brands and their prices. In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd this past May, and the global Black Lives Matter demonstrations that followed, c

VERSUS
04/11/2023
Umbro Launches New Upcycling Campaign With a Nouveau Nova Collab

Umbro is combating textile waste and celebrating the upcycling skills of talented creators with its 'Make New' campaign, and the brand's first collaboration is a work of art. The campaign challenges four creators to take Umbro boots, balls, kits, and other sports apparel and equipment, and revamp them into something...

VERSUS
03/27/2023
Chelsea Just Hosted the Club's First Ever Open Iftar at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea hosted an Open Iftar at Stamford Bridge this past weekend in collaboration with award-winning charity, the Ramadan Tent Project, becoming the first Premier League club to do so. The event marked the charity's 10-year anniversary, and a limited number of tickets were made available to local mosques, youth organisations,...

VERSUS
03/20/2023
Virginia Dream F.C Have Dropped One of the Season's Dreamiest Kits

Virginia Dream FC has released new home and away shirts for the Spring/Summer 2023 season, and they're just as dreamy as the club's name suggests. Two kits that imitate sunrise and the night sky, Dream Pink and Azulejo, reflect the club's motto 'Soccer in the Clouds.' The two stunning colourways...

VERSUS
04/19/2023
AS Roma Drop an Exclusive Collection With Italian Jewellery Brand Nove25

AS Roma has followed in fellow Serie A side Inter Milan's footsteps, dropping an exclusive collection with Milan-based jewellery brand Nove25. The collection focuses on the Roman club's iconic visual identity. The club's crest, the Lupetto, and the 'ASR' emblem that Roma has used since 1933 are forged and burnished...

CR Fashion Book
03/02/2020
Kanye West Returns to the Fashion Circuit With Yeezy Season 8

Kanye West's return to fashion month came as a surprise, as the rapper announced the runway show and Sunday Service just days ago. Known for their convergence of music, performance art, and fashion, West's runway shows are an experience unlike any other.

VERSUS
04/13/2023
Lack of Guidance Unveil an SS23 Campaign Inspired by Away Days

Lack of Guidance's latest campaign takes inspiration from every fan's favourite footballing pilgrimage: the away day. The Amsterdam-based brand recently dropped its SS23 collection and used dozens of individuals to imitate the essence and feelings that comes with venturing to a new city to watch your beloved team play football....

EMBODIED
10/17/2018
For Colored Girls - EMBODIED

"This is for all the women that are darker than me, that were told they aren't beautiful because their skin is not light enough. The journey to self-love can be long and gruesome, but it is most definitely worth it."

CR Fashion Book
02/04/2020
Black Fashion Icons Throughout History

Zelda Valdes was a fashion designer known for making glittering gowns for socialites and celebrities, including Ella Fitzgerald. Her store on Manhattan's 158th Street attracted black women from all over the city, and at one point it cost nearly $1,000 to have a dress made by her.

EMBODIED
Divine Flavored - EMBODIED

Positioned right outside the Nigerian embassy in Midtown sits Divine Flavored, a food truck specializing in the unique taste of Nigerian cuisine. It's hard to find an authentic Nigerian or West African food spot in New York, despite the fact that so many people in the city identify with the region.

CR Fashion Book
02/23/2020
Leather Was the Layer of Choice at Milan Fashion Week

Since the '50s, when the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean rocked them on the big screen, leather jackets have possessed an unbreakable cool factor. Often associated with bikers and bad boys, they have been altered and toyed with by designers for decades.

CR Fashion Book
02/25/2020
Milan Fashion Week Focused on Fringe

Fringed clothing has come a long way from its association with 1920s flapper dresses, Western-style leather jackets, or hippie-era suede vests. At Milan Fashion Week, designers took fringe to a new level, incorporating the style into unique garments and accessories in unexpected proportions and colors.

VERSUS
04/12/2023
Scenes NY Have Released the Perfect Pair of Shorts for Spring

New York City-based sportswear brand, Scenes NY, has released a pair of shorts just in time for the warmer months and they're perfect. Inspired by the boxy fit footballers used to wear in the '90s, these versatile shorts have a 4" inseam, a side-split hem and roomy "Boehly-style" pockets -...

CR Fashion Book
03/04/2020
Itty-Bitty Bras Topped Paris Fashion Week

Underwear and lingerie have evolved greatly since the corsets and girdles of centuries past. From the conical shape of torpedo bras to the game-changing pushup, undergarments, and brassieres in particular, have been an essential aspect of women's dress.

CR Fashion Book
03/17/2020
Masks Were On The Runways All Fashion Month

The Fall/Winter 2020 fashion month was full of bold accessories, from luxury AirPods cases, to fur fringed handbags. Perhaps the boldest, and in retrospect most foreboding, of these were the various pieces that masked the faces of models as they stormed the runway in the newest fashion.

CR Fashion Book
04/14/2020
Beyond the Trend: Bike Shorts

The iconic 1995 film, known for its fashionable characters as much as its teen-friendly plot, showcased many '90s fashion trends, from micro minis to impeccably styled skirt suits. For gym class, the girls wore a variety of black and white outfits, complete with a stylish pair of bike shorts.

CR Fashion Book
05/06/2020
Beyond the Trend: Hotpants

In the 2009 movie starring Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore, the girls in the roller derby league sport short skorts or hotpants in their team's colors. The shorts have been popular among competitive skaters since the 1950s, as they allow for ease of movement.

CR Fashion Book
03/12/2020
Beyond the Trend: Latex

In the 2005 crime thriller, Angelina Jolie wore a series of sultry, black outfits, including this corseted mini dress with fishnet stockings. The popularity of latex and other hallmarks of fetish dress were prevalent in action films from the '90s and early 2000s.

CR Fashion Book
03/28/2020
London and Paris Men's and Haute Couture Fashion Weeks Cancelled

As events worldwide continue to be postponed and cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fashion week appears to be the next event to take a blow. The upcoming summer runways in London, Paris, and Milan have been cancelled or postponed.

CR Fashion Book
04/03/2020
Celebrate the Home with the New Dior Maison Collection

In 1947, Christian Dior opened a boutique dedicated to the art of gifting, from mirrors and letter holders to candles and incense. The designer sought to provide all the pieces for a luxurious home, as he believed "living in a house which doesn't reflect who you are is a bit like wearing someone else's clothes."

CR Fashion Book
01/27/2020
Naomi Campbell Makes Her Vivienne Westwood Campaign Debut

Set in the backstreets of Paris, Naomi Campbell, Vivienne Westwood, and Andreas Kronthaler star in Westwood's latest campaign, unveiled today. It marks Campbell's first campaign with the British designer. The atmospheric images and video were shot by esteemed fashion photographer and Westwood collaborator Juergen Teller in the 18th arrondissement of the fashion capital, where the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood Spring/Summer 2020 show took place last September.

CR Fashion Book
02/25/2020
Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2020 Beauty Trends

Slicked back hair was upgraded on the runway, as multiple designers took the chic hairstyle one step further, resulting in glistening, fresh out of the shower tresses. There was a blast from the past at MSGM, as models came out with 1920s-style finger waves, while hair at Alberta Ferretti looked as if it had just come out of the ocean.

CR Fashion Book
03/30/2020
Burberry Joins Coronavirus Relief Efforts in the UK

As factories around the world close due to global lockdowns and quarantine efforts in light of the coronavirus, Burberry is the latest to announce that it will be donating both surgical and non-surgical masks to healthcare workers and patients in the United Kingdom.

CR Fashion Book
05/12/2020
Beyond the Trend: Flip-Flops

In the 2001 movie, Anne Hathaway's character, Mia Thermopolis, gets ready for a school beach party and explains to her mom that she would like a foot-popping kiss. The flip-flops she wears to the beach end up helping her escape from a paparazzi-riddled situation, though, as she smacks Josh Bryant on the head with one sandal and runs off.

CR Fashion Book
01/31/2020
Christopher Kane Brings 'More Joy' to Valentine's Day

CR Fashion Book may earn money from the products featured on this page. The British brand's London pop-up store relaunches with its first capsule of 2020 Wiktor Malinowski for Christopher Kane Christopher Kane's pop-up, More Joy, reopens today with its first drop of the year.

CR Fashion Book
03/31/2020
Bulgari to Donate Hand Sanitizer to Italian Medical Facilities

Bulgari will donate hand sanitizer to all medical facilities within Italy, one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic and home to the Roman luxury brand. The hand gel will be made in Bulgari's fragrance facilities in collaboration with its longtime manufacturing partner Industrie Cosmetiche Riunite.

CR Fashion Book
03/23/2020
Kering to Contribute 3 Million Masks to France

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, some of fashion's biggest names are playing a role in tackling medical supply shortages and donating funds needed to combat the virus and protect health workers. Amongst these, French luxury group Kering has bought three million surgical masks from China to provide to the French health service, and has plans to produce more within its brands' factories.

CR Fashion Book
01/24/2020
Louis Vuitton Channels Horror and Sci-Fi in a Star-Studded Pre-Fall 2020 Lookbook

For Louis Vuitton's Pre-Fall 2020 lookbook, Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière looked to literature and film, creating 23 horror and sci-fi-inspired images that evoke movie posters and book covers to present the collection. The lookbook features various brand ambassadors and celebrities, including Emma Roberts, Alicia Vikander, Jaden Smith, and American Horror Story co-stars, Billie Lourd and Cody Fern.