At 25, Somi Nwandu has studied, lived, and worked in 5 cities, across 4 countries on 3 continents and has travelled to over 30 nations. Born and raised in Maryland, U.S.A. as well as Enugu, Eastern Nigeria, Somi has always been fascinated with artistic matters from an early age. She expressed her creativity through writing, painting, photography, drawings, fashion illustrations and the digital world.

After high school, she moved to New York City alone to further her studies. She obtained degrees in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of New York City and graduated in 2013, Fashion Business Management and International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries with a Minor in Economics from the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology and graduated in 2016. She is currently completing an MA in Global Creative and Cultural Industries (GCCI) from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London while actively pursuing her art in photography, fashion and the digital world.

Beyond academia, Somi has had the opportunity to plan, develop and showcase major initiatives for various stakeholders in the creative industries. Her experiences draw from holding positions in branding, creative project management, and marketing and art direction. She has worked with globally recognized institutions in the United States of America, Europe and Nigeria, including Macy’s, Tom Ford International, Alexander Wang, SMO Contemporary Art, Ruff ’n’ Tumble and more.

Somi is a quintessential creative soul with a deep desire to forge cross-cultural ties specifically through the Arts. One of her greatest passions is simply creating. She is a burgeoning, award-winning photographer and exhibiting visual artist who works in various media and believes in the power of art to uplift, unify and inspire a people. With this, she hopes to emphasize the significance in building more cross-cultural creative ties between Africa and the rest of the world.