Hi there! So what's your name?
Esther Adeyinka
Where do you call home?
Sydney, Australia
What do you do?
Work in the legal industry and run Shadie By EA
Tell us your story
I'm still quite young! But my story is that I was born in Nigeria and moved to Australia when I was six years old. Since then, I have completed a combined law degree and am currently working in the legal industry. It was during my time at university that I encountered the problem that resulted in me starting a business. I was to travel to Europe for a law competition and I needed a pair of nude coloured stockings. When I went online to order some, I found that while 'nude' stockings were easy to purchase online in Australia, nude stockings in my skin tone were few and far between, if not non-existent. It became clear that I would need to buy stockings that matched my skin tone from the UK or the US and I just thought that was ridiculous. A little while later, I wanted to wear a nude strapless bra to a special event and discovered that I couldn't find one in my skin tone too. So instead of just complaining about it to my friends (although I did do that!) I decided that I would fix that problem. That is how SHADIE BY EA was born. We're set to launch in November 2020 as a brand that provides ethically made luxury intimates, designed to match all skin tones and sizes. It has been a wild ride, but the support we have received so far is a true testimony to how important this change is in Australia. I value integrity, being a woman of my word. I also value empathy and humility. Empathy because it is so important to constantly put yourself in the shoes of others. Especially when you find yourself working or interacting with other people; I have always strived to be someone who seeks to understand and respect another's point of view. Humility because I never want to forget when I have come from, whether concerning the country I was born in and the privilege that I have to be able to call Australia home or the challenges I have faced while working to set up my business and the support I received and continue to receive along the way. For SHADIE BY EA, my ambitions are for the brand to become a 'one-stop-shop for all women of all shapes and sizes that provides any essential or intimate pieces that you could think of in nudes that accurately reflect all skin tones. Personally, my ambition is to ensure that I truly make a positive impact, whether that be through my work as a lawyer, a businesswoman, or as a friend. No matter where I find myself, my ultimate goal, is to leave that space better than I found it.
If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
Everything works out in the end. Relax!
What does "living freely" mean to you?
Living freely to me means living without any inhibitions or restrictions to my imagination, goals, and dreams. For me as a young black woman to have a goal and to be able to work towards that goal without any doubt that it can be achieved because of society's preconceived notions.
Where can we follow your work and support you?
Personal: @estheradeyinka_
Business: @shadiebyea
