Public Health Analyst by day, designer by night, one could fancy Lara Akinsanya, creator of L-Shandi Designs, a modern day supershero who can save the world and dress it with one stroke of her #2 pencil. Adoring inquisitions gushed from awestruck ladies (including myself) who probed the L-Shandi rack at the Tranquil Space Holiday Trunk Show last week. The construction of her designs is impeccable - executed with the calculated accuracy of a surgeon and visionary allure of an artist.

Rarely do you find someone who can successfully fulfill paralleling life passions with such tirelessness and thoroughness. Her love for fashion – evident, her passion for HIV/AIDS research – undeniable and somehow you get the sense that her life wouldn’t be complete with just one of the two.

"I have always wanted to be a doctor. I took a clinical research class while in grad school and fell in love with it. [In addition to research] I volunteer for hospitals. No matter what I do, I always want to make time to volunteer." In observing her interaction with the public, eagerly explaining the intricate architecture, unique African silk, voile, and hand-woven cotton fabrics, and beautiful embroidering techniques, one would think she was born to design fashion. Surprisingly, Akinsanya has no formal training. Her design ability is completely self-taught; something she admits is very common for African designers.

"[Around the time] when I first moved to the U.S. in 1994, I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear to a company Christmas party. Everything I saw was just your basic black dress, but I respond to color. I would always buy things and cut and paste stuff off and on. [In Nigeria] we don’t buy off the shelf, so we’re used to going to tailors to have our clothing made," she explained.

It is quite understandable how a girl who’s used to having her clothes made to her exact specifications would have a hard time adjusting to buying off the rack. Just three years ago, Lara was inspired to start her own clothing line after she designed her own bridesmaids’ dresses. "I got a great response after doing that and things just went from there. "

Lara has a sublime way of infusing her Nigerian roots into her pieces, superbly melding western designs with traditional African fabrics. "The fabrics are my trademarks, " ostends Lara. What's interesting about L-Shandi designs is that your initial reaction to them is never "wow that’s a beautiful African dress." Your appreciation for the garment is immersed in its beauty, not its origin. She does an exquisite job of creating a balance that appeals to a mass audience.

"I don’t want to design something and think it’s too African. [The L-Shandi woman] wants to stand out, but doesn’t want to be palm oil on a white sheet," she chuckled.

You can find L-Shandi designs at Caramel (1603 U St., NW, Washington, DC, 202.265.1930) or contact Lara for an appointment.

Photos: www.lshandi.com