Hip hop, Prada, and fashion all have one thing in common: Lamar High School fashion design teacher Hanani Owekha.
Owekha’s career in fashion design is deeply rooted in his love for singing and R&B, as well as his passion for showcasing his art in multiple ways. His career and technical education journey began when he was a student at Bowie High School, where he first developed an interest in standing out among his fashionable peers while walking the halls.
“The diversity of the school and the people I went to school with helped me with my fashion sense,” Owekha said. “Bowie was one of those schools where you had to show up with the newest shoes and keep up. It was a great experience.”
One of Owekha’s first jobs was at The Parks Mall at Arlington, where he worked at Forever 21 and discovered he enjoyed styling outfits for customers. After graduating from high school, Owekha studied fashion design at Texas Tech University while also pursuing music on the side.
“I look at fabric like a beat,” Owekha said. “Fabric can be made into a shirt, pants, or a hat. Likewise, in music, that beat could be made into a happy song, a sad song, R&B, country, or hip-hop.”
He explained that having a solid plan allows him to create in both the fashion and music industries. His connections in both worlds now influence how he teaches his Fashion I and Fashion II courses.
“I usually bring in mentors and people from the industry to talk to students and help them understand the research and preparation that goes into fashion design,” he said.
Most recently, Owekha welcomed the head fashion designer for Nike and Jordan Brand, who spoke to his Fashion II class about how understanding sport informs the design of high-quality products. Bringing real-world professionals into the classroom is a key part of Owekha’s teaching approach, giving students a rare opportunity to experience the fast-paced world of fashion beyond the textbook.
Owekha’s class is offered through the district’s Career and Technical Education program, which equips students with practical skills to prepare them for the workforce or further education.
“You can turn this into a job. You can turn this into something that’s fruitful,” Owekha said. “This is a trade, and it can be something you profit from.”
As Owekha reflected on some of his proudest moments as a teacher, he beamed with pride and said, “Somewhere down the line, I’ll be able to say, ‘That designer right there was one of my students.’”