HONOREE PROFILE: B OYAMA

This is the the height of the charity season and I'm in the back of the Escalade coming from an event as I write this. The event was great and as I was making my way to chocolate fountain I ran into B Oyama. The way you know it's B Oyama is that great smile. I call it one of the best smiles in Retail. If you get a chance to meet him check out the smile; if you don't get a chance to meet him then here is his bio.

Born in the West African nation of Gabon, menswear designer Bernard Oyama has been influenced by fashion since childhood. The grandson of a tailor, Oyama gained an appreciation for fine clothing and the art of dressing at a young age. “As a teenager, I delivered the suits to my
grandfather’s clients,” said Oyama. “That’s where I learned the trade and learned about fabrics and cuts. My grandfather was known as the go-to man for the best quality suits, so quality is all I’ve ever known.” Oyama eventually left Gabon to study marketing in Paris. Upon graduation, he worked as a financial services representative for three years. However, still fuelled by his passion for tailored clothing, Bernard dreamt of opening his own menswear boutique in the heart of Paris. His first boutique, aptly named Bernard, opened in 1992 to much success.
Five years later, Bernard closed his Paris shop to pursue the American dream. Oyama immigrated to New York in 1997 to pursue a master’s degree in banking and worked as a security guard while studying at American Institute of Banking at Mercy College. Upon completing his graduate coursework, Oyama served as a small business banker gaining notoriety at such notable organizations as EAB, North Fork Bank and Fleet Bank, now Bank of America. Though Oyama achieved immense success in the financial arena, his true passion for menswear continued to beckon him. His experience in New York
City opened his eyes to a unique and new interpretation of style. Oyama looked to Harlem and its tradition for style and panache as his inspiration. He knew Harlem, a place he viewed as the epicenter of American style, would ultimately be the destination of choice for the menswear boutique he’d always dreamt of opening in
New York City. Harlem, at the time, was on the verge of a new Renaissance, and B. Oyama sought to be the
first to bring upscale, quality clothing back to the neighborhood. His background in banking and experience as a business development officer provided a solid foundation for a successful retail business. In 2003, Oyama launched B. Oyama, his first ready-to-wear and
bespoke boutique, at 2330 Seventh Avenue in Harlem.
Filling a void in the menswear market, B. Oyama was one of the first upscale, freestanding retail stores to open in a previously underserved area. It was Oyama’s
goal to create an uptown Seventh Avenue fashion district similar to Soho, Madison Avenue or Fifth Avenue. Today, B. Oyama has been the catalyst for the opening of
other upscale Harlem area stores such as N Boutique, Montgomery, The Denim Library and Hats by Bunn.
B. Oyama has become the fashion destination for many of New York’s top business executives and social elite. Renowned for its well-cut suits, high-quality shirts and colorful ties and ascots, B. Oyama is reinventing the
way men are approaching fashion. B. Oyama has been featured in The New York Times, Black Enterprise and was most recently named one of the hottest designers of 2007 by Lloyd Boston on ABCs “The View.” In 2007,
B. Oyama introduced a women’s collection of sharp suits and shirts.