poché in three parts / part one
the best-friends-turned-founders origin story
the founders
morgan
tobi
let’s take it back. in 2016, morgan and tobi met at the university of southern California while both navigating their master’s of architecture program. here, they soon noticed their perspective was missing both in the classroom and in the design world. immediately after realizing they were two of few Black students in their program and would later become two of even fewer Black professional designers, they knew something had to be done. from that point, tobi and morgan did what any two, savvy Black women do when left together:
create a solution.
while their background in architecture serves as the foundation for how they approach design, it’s their unique experiences as Black women that inform their outlook and leads them to produce things rooted in love, expression, and advocacy. once upon a time, it was all a dream… until it wasn’t.
now, poché design studio stands with over 85 completed projects all led and developed by our team of like-minded, talented, dope, Black women.
tobi
ashiru
hiii! i’m tobi.
here’s a quick rundown of how it started :
i was born in nigeria and raised in south africa where i received my undergraduate degree in architectural studies. later on, i moved across the ocean to the ever-so-sunny state of California for what i’m sure the universe intended as a means for me to obtain my master’s of architecture from the university of southern california. while there i of course, met morgan.
now, let’s get to the good stuff.
i have always been a multifaceted creative. as a Black person hyper-aware of the woes being both Black and woman bring, i am motivated by my ability to use my design superpowers to put on for Black women everywhere. this, alongside constantly referencing my nigerian roots as my north star, are what matter most to me.
both inside and outside of poché, i am a playful green thumb who loves to catch a flight. when i’m off the clock (which is usually never), i love to cook, tend to my garden, and twerk— simultaneously.
honorable mention: im obsessed with our team. seriously.
morgan
sumner
hey y’all! i’m morgan.
the obligatory mumbo jumbo :
in 2016, i graduated from arizona state university with a bachelor’s degree in architecture alongside a minor in african and african-american studies. in 2017, i met my now best friend, tobi, and received my master’s of architecture from the university of southern california. one of those things changed my life forever, the other was just an added bonus— i’ll let you decide which is which.
the parts that matter most :
i cannot remember a time in my life when i was not creative. this has taken shape in several ways that include drawing, baking, singing, and now, poché-ing. i am an avid learner and love to get into the nitty-gritty of things. as a result, i have studied and am well-versed in institutional + systemic racism, race and gender studies, and architectural theory. together, all these parts of my brain fuse together to inform how i both work and play.
i am calm in chaos, proficient at kindness, and probably somewhere daydreaming. i spend a good chunk of my life 6” off the ground in a pair of fantastic shoes because i’m extra as hell. fashion is my first love, followed by the perfect french fry. i’ve yet to turn down vegan ice cream, last-minute margaritas, or a chance to photobomb. i’ll do just about anything for a daytime nap and a tummy laugh.
quick shoutout: to the dope work we create… always and forever