Dorene
Onyia.
Crafter. Dreamer. Imo native. Building the future of Nigerian handmade, one stitch at a time.
I don't make bags.
I make heirlooms.
— Dorene Onyia, Founder
Dorene grew up watching her grandmother crochet by the light of a kerosene lamp in Enugu, bags, blankets, and prayer mats stacked in every corner of the house. The smell of cotton yarn still takes her back there.
She moved to Port Harcourt at 20 to study Fashion Design at University of Port Harcourt, but it was the crochet hook she carried in her bag, not the sewing machine, that kept calling her name. She made bags for friends, then for friends of friends. The word spread the way good things do quietly, then all at once.
In 2020, the world slowed down. Dorene sped up. She turned her one-bedroom apartment into a studio, named the brand after herself a small act of boldness and launched Doreneglam with twelve bags and one Instagram post. The rest, as they say, is stitched into history.
Unique designs
and growing every season
Average customer rating
The journey
From one stitch to
a whole movement
The First Stitch
Dorene picked up a crochet hook for the first time at 19, taught by her grandmother in their Enugu home. "I made a wonky square and cried happy tears," she laughs.
Friends Started Asking
After gifting handmade bags to her closest friends, strangers on the street began stopping to ask where the bags came from. She started taking orders from her phone.
Doreneglam is Born
During the pandemic lockdown in Lagos, Dorene turned her bedroom into a studio. She launched her first proper collection, 12 bags, and sold out in 48 hours.
Going National
A viral Instagram reel hit 2 million views overnight. Orders flooded in from Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano. Dorene brought on two artisan apprentices from her community.
Still Handmade, Always
With 200+ bags sold and counting, every single Doreneglam piece is still hand-crocheted. "The moment it stops being handmade, it stops being me," says Dorene.
What we stand for
Craft is not a hobby.
It's a calling.
Made with Intention
Every bag is started with a purpose in mind, who will carry it, where it will go, what story it will hold.
Slow Fashion
We reject mass production. Each piece takes 8–20 hours to complete, and that time is visible in every stitch.
Community First
We source yarns locally, train young artisans from our neighbourhood, and reinvest in the craft that feeds us.
Proudly Nigerian
From Imo to the world. Our designs draw from Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa textile traditions, reinterpreted for today.
As seen in
“The most exciting craft brand to come out of Imo in years.”
— Vogue Africa
“Doreneglam proves that handmade is the future of Nigerian fashion.”
— TechCabal
“We cannot stop buying these bags. Seriously, we have a problem.”
— Bella Naija
A note from Dorene
Every bag I make carries a little piece of me, my grandmother's patience, my mother's eye for colour, and my own stubborn belief that Nigerian craft deserves to be celebrated, not just exported.
Dorene ✦
@doreneglamReady to own a piece?
Every bag tells
a story. What's yours?
Browse the full Doreneglam collection — each piece handmade, each one unique.
Shop the Collection