Our Story
Built From a Personal Need. Grown Into a Movement.
Deshapeables started with one woman, one problem, and a determination to solve it. Eight years later, it's a brand, a community, and a platform.
London · Birmingham · 2026
8
YRS
In Business
17k+
Women Served
230k+
Combined Reach
3rd
Year Trade Fair
The Beginning
This Isn't Just a Brand.
It Started With Her.
Deshapeables was founded by Dr Damilola during her PhD — not as a calculated business plan, but as a side hustle driven by a personal need. She was looking for an effective shapewear solution that could enhance her shape and improve her confidence. What began as a simple idea quickly gained traction as she recognised a wider demand from women seeking high-quality, confidence-boosting products.
Within the first year, Dr Ibrahim joined the business — helping to build the structure, strategy, and operational foundation required to grow the brand sustainably.
Now in its 8th year, Deshapeables has evolved into an established brand within the fashion and shapewear space, serving over 17,000 women across the UK and connecting with a highly engaged audience with a strong female customer base. This growth has been driven by a consistently customer-centric approach and a deep understanding of the needs of its community.
The Expansion
Beyond the Product.
Into Community.
After five years of building the brand, Dr Damilola and Dr Ibrahim expanded the vision beyond products. Having lived the journey of building from the ground up, they recognised the limited visibility and opportunities available to many Black and migrant entrepreneurs — and saw the need to create a platform that could support and amplify these businesses.
This began through free promotional shoutouts, helping small and emerging brands gain visibility — alongside business coaching sessions where Damilola shared practical insights on building and scaling a product-based business.
Meet the Founders.
Two doctors. One shared vision. A platform built from personal experience.
Damilola Idowu
Dr Dami created Deshapeables during her PhD — a clothing and body-shaping brand with a mission to empower Black women to feel confident, beautiful, and unapologetically themselves. Born in Nigeria and rooted in the UK, she holds genuine credibility within both the Black British community and the African diaspora. Her platform was built on authenticity and years of consistent engagement with an audience that turns up when she calls them.
Nigerian Roots · UK Presence
Olatunji Idowu
Dr Ibrahim joined Deshapeables in its first year, partnering with Dr Dami to build the structure, strategy, and operations that turned a side-hustle shapewear brand into a successful business. Drawing from their own journey as Black entrepreneurs, they expanded the vision to support Black and migrant-led businesses — evolving into the Deshapeables Tradefair, now in its 3rd year.
Strategy · Operations · Scale