As we get ready for the 6th edition of Nigerian Student Fashion and Design Week, our designers remain an epitome of fashion week. Meet the talented and emerging designers showcasing on the NSFDW runway this year.
RACHEAL ADELEKE comes from a fashion infused family, her mother and siblings are fashion designers, so starting ABVEE Fashion Design Academy seemed as natural thing to do.
On choosing NSFDW for her students to showcase, “I wanted to give my students an opportunity to showcase their creative works on fashion runway shows and NSFDW provides such a platform for them”.
Her biggest fear starting her fashion school, “the mindset a lot of people heard about fashion schools. They believe that it would be difficult to learn fashion in a period of less than 1 year, hence would rather go to a local shop to learn for several years instead. I was ready to change all that, but was not sure if they will listen. I am happy I did”. The theme this year for her students is white gold, so we expect to see exquisite designs in that colour.
Her biggest fear starting her fashion school, “the mind set a lot of people had about fashion schools. They believe that it would be difficult to learn fashion in a period of less than 1 year, hence would rather go to a local shop to learn for several years instead. I was ready to change all that but was not sure if they will listen. I am happy I did”.
MAKADEL is a fashion school with a difference inspired by positivity and with a drive to do better, we have created a unique school filled with energy, love and learning. The school which started in 2013 attracts local and international students interested in mastering the art of fashion and design. From basics to masterclass, we provide a space for people to be themselves and get immersed in the creative process, taking home skills that will stay with them forever.
On choosing NSFDW to showcase, “it is a great platform for my students to showcase their creativity and skills as well as to put the school out there and allow people to see what we are doing”.
On brand quality. “We at MAKADEL make sure that we teach our students that quality is always before quantity, from the materials to the way the pattern is to be drafted, we make sure that we painstaking go through all the necessary processes, we never cut corners”.
On AFWH/NSFDW Partnership and if given an opportunity to showcase in Houston, “Africans have always believed that whatever is made here is not of good quality, so we will make sure to use top quality African fabrics to showcase creative designs so as to open people’s eyes to Africa and what we have to offer”.
VALERIE BOGLO was inspired by her fashion career when fashion wasn’t so big, “Fashion design has grown into a global industry where designers, retailers’ manufacturers merchandisers and lots more gather at a common market place to trade and the returns are indeed massive, so i would say it obviously makes a whole lot of sense to hold fashion more than just a passion. Despite nursing fashion as a childhood fantasy, embracing it as a career started as a need to enhance the lady’s physical looks, giving her that boost in confidence and self-esteem but no sooner than I expected I started meeting clients who wanted more than just that, making my job even more difficult hence there was the need to improve so i had to make a choice from that moment. staying in close connect with the global fashion market has helped to satisfy more of clients and improved our productivity at Valisimo”.
On choosing NSFDW to showcase, “Our students need to experience total training, this includes interacting with others who share the same point of view. it would help them to be completely sure of what they have learnt and of course boost their motivation to do more. NSFDW is one of the many avenues where these objectives can be met hence we thought it wise to have them showcase their collections here”.
She defines their collection as SIMPLICITY AND FUNCTIONALITY, “I would prefer to keep it simple but if it must be large and have volumes then it must be functional, not funny or out of place. otherwise the question would be, where would I expect my client to where it to”.
On AFWH/NSFDW Partnership and if given an opportunity to showcase in Houston, “We are confident of our students at Valisimo fashion school they are all creative in so many different ways. We have taught them to speak volumes with the smallest pieces, hence with just a little more attention to detail they can hold tight to their identity yet stand out distinctly. This would help them create the right impression to Africans and the international audience”.
Karah Adu
