Lanre Da Silva Ajayi was born on August 6, 1978, in Lagos, Nigeria. Upon high school graduation in Nigeria, da Silva moved to the United Kingdom to continue her studies.
For her undergraduate degree, she majored in business administration at Coventry University. She obtained a master’s degree in Finance from the University of Leicester.
Lanre Da Silva launched her eponymous label in 2005. The label includes couture, ready-to-wear, jewelry and hairpieces. The Africa Fashion Guide recognizes her as having “… created a name for herself in high fashion in Nigeria.”
In 2011, da Silva presented her collection at New York Fashion Week, where it was described as combining “… the archetypal bright, warm colors of her homeland with refined ladylike silhouettes inspired by Italian architecture”.
Lanre’s work has also been recognized by top fashion magazines including the likes of Vogue. Da Silva’s designs have also been featured in Black and Arise Magazine.
Her clothes have also been seen at shows such as the 2008 Thisday Africa Rising Festival in London, the 2009 Arise Africa Fashion Festival in South Africa, the 2009 New York Couture Fashion Week and the 2011 Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos.In 2018, da Silva returned to the Arise Africa Fashion Festival where her collection was described as being elegant and accented by metallic gold colors. British supermodel Naomi Campbell opened the show wearing one of da Silva’s outfits.
Da Silva is married with children and has two siblings. Their father is Sir Leo Babarinde Da Silva, a former Secretary to the Lagos State Government. She is also related to BBNaija’s Leo Da Silva.