SEPT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT MAGAZINE FREE WITH BUSINESS DAY LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

Transcription

1 SEPT 2018 YOUTH EMPOWERMENT MAGAZINE FREE WITH BUSINESS DAY LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

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3 FROM OUR GUEST EDITOR On the wings of Nigerian Fashion W hen I moved back home in December 2013 from Paris, I had just finished a master s degree at the prestigious Sciences Po University in Corporate Communications. I moved home with dreams of serving my country at an advertising agency and then moving on to a communications department at most likely an oil and gas firm. The plan sounded pretty straightforward, right? Wrong. My love for fashion really begun in Paris and I wanted to feel the same connection with local brands in Nigeria. I simply could not find any my frustration sparked a journey that has now become a full-fledged career path. Many in Nigeria are yet to accept that we have a thriving fashion industry, and the business of fashion truly exists in our country. After almost five years of working in this industry via my brand management consultancy, The Style Concierge, I am a very proud product of the industry. I was more than honored when the good folks behind The Spark Magazine asked me to partner, and be the Guest Editor of the Fashion Edition! The September Issue is always a memorable issue in the fashion industry, and it is my sincerest wish that this issue will have the same impact. We hope this issue leaves you with a lot of knowledge and unique insight from various players in the industry. The goal is to go beyond social media to show how the fashion and style industry has been able to improve not just the economy at large but the lives of individuals who chose to leverage the opportunities around. We touch various aspects of the vast industry from finance to the ways of the law, to production and even mental wellness. We believe the fashion industry transforms lives and we want to show how that has been done, is being done and can be done. Enjoy! Zina Anumudu Published By Editor Anthony Osae-Brown Advert Manager Adeola Ajewole Growth and Partnerships Emeka Iwu Head of Operations Fabian Akagha ED, Strategy & Planning Bankole Jamgbadi Marketing and Communications Opeolu Adeyemi Publisher Frank Aigbogun Head of Business Development & Client Services Ikenna Onuorah Head of Advertising & Sales Rerhe Idonije Guest Editor Ozinna Anumudu Creative Director Segun Adekoye ED, Innovation & Marketing Damilola Oyewusi ED, Growth Lanre Solarin Chief People Officer Lehlé Baldé Design Illustration Sodeinde Oladapo In-house Photographer James Otihi IT Director Michael Aworoghene Head of Marketing Akintunde Marinho Art director Kola Oshalusi Ass. Managing Editor Ayandola Ayanleke Head of Business & Growth Oghenevwoke Ighure Advertising Linda Ochugbua Specialist Editor Lucy Onuorah Address: Enquiries: The Spark: 21, Military Street, Off King George V Street, Lagos Island. BusinessDay Media Ltd: 6 Point Rd, Apapa, Lagos , , info.com Website: Social media:

4 Contributors Wonuola Okoye is an entrepreneur whose journey into entrepreneurship was born out of a need to be thrifty. Her business was a cool vintage retailer called, Lagos Look. The challenges of reaching customer inspired her second business, Le Petit Marche (LPM), which was Nigeria s premier retail platform and she did that successful for years. She finally launched Apaart Africa, an exotic skin leather goods brand with only N6,000, in 2017 and they have continued to be a market leader in the leather goods industry. Her love for start-ups inspired her to start Big me for business strategy and advice. She started Big StartUp with the aim of sharing business experiences, developing strategy and designing business models so that entrepreneurs can GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Tunde Owolabi Tunde Owolabi is the creative director of Tunde Owolabi Studios, a multidisciplinary design and photography studio based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a freelance artist, designer and trained photographer from the London School of Fashion. He has worked across various multinational brands and is leveraging those experiences running Ethnik by Tunde Owolabi, an afrocentric brand which specializes in the design of aso oke, a hand-woven Nigerian fabric and creates accessories with the fabric. Tuned loves coffee, travel, great food and extreme adventures. Oluwatosin Olaseinde is a chartered accountant with over 9 years of experience spanning across accounting, audit, financial management and taxation. She is the Founder/CEO of Money Africa, a platform that enhances financial literacy and wealth management coaching. Prior to Money Africa, Oluwatosin was a commercial finance manager at British American Tobacco, providing commercial & financial advice on capital investment and managing marketing investment budget in the 14 different markets across West Africa. Ozinna Anumudu is passionate about two things fashion & branding. Having secured a Bachelor s Degree in Economics in The United States, she pursued a Masters in Communication, in Paris. Thereafter, she relocated to Nigeria and has created a niche market for herself with branding & the Nigerian Fashion Industry in under three years. Zina recently founded a brand management company, The Style Concierge, which caters to creatives & businesses in the fashion & lifestyle industry. Fatima Togbe An accomplished media publishing specialist, Fatima Togbe has made a name for herself as Founder of Hayati magazine, Nigeria s foremost fashion and lifestyle platform for the Muslimah woman. Hayati serves as a Muslimah s answer to the question of culturespecific content, and its reach has since 2012 grown to include a dedicated website, social media platforms, a yearly fashion week (Hayati Fashion Week) and an online store (Hayati Retail Shop) to help promote Muslimah brands seeking to fill the vacuum for stylish modest fashion. Tamara Ncala is a Youtuber under TamzyTingz with a lifestyle channel that explores her journey with alopecia areata, her passion for cooking/ baking, her love for fashion and her all round personality. She is Master s Student graduate in Women s Studies (Humanities) and is a self-proclaimed Global Citizen. She is passionate about spreading positivity and creating awareness around various issues. Her other hobbies include, cooking, baking and singing. Toun Odetola is an avid shoe lover with particular interest in African Foot Fashion. Her growing community of fellow footwear are dedicated to pushing footwear design from Africa across the globe. Let her infect you with a dose of shoe fetish on the.shoe.mannequin Simisola Oladigbo is the founder of Made in Nigeria Brands, an online platform where she curates locally made world-class products and services. A 17-year veteran of the media industry, Simi has worked in television and radio, and currently runs TagTm, a media production company based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a fellow of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, and the Cherie Blair s Road to Women s Growth. Clemas Effanga Clemas Effanga is an award-winning designer, CEO at Clemas Garments Company Limited, and Founder The Mobile Tailor a web and mobile application designed to ease tailoring challenges for everyday Nigerians. Kike Ojewale Kike Ojewale is a corporate and commercial lawyer at ACAS-Law, a top law firm in Nigeria. She specialises in all areas of intellectual property, media, sports and entertainment law. Lala Tshabalala aka Miss Curvy Lala is a body positive activist, plus size model and social media activist. Toyin Henry-Ajayi is a marketing and advertising expert who loves to share insight and experiential knowledge with marketing professionals, enthusiasts and businesses. Copyright 2018 The Spark. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission of The Spark. We do not endorse any product or service mentioned in any of the articles and are not responsible for the outcome of using such products or services.

5 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve 4 6 Content BOTTOM LINE Scaling your small fashion business WIRED IN Digitally Fashionable FAST FORWARD FREESTYLE VITAL SIGNS THE SPARK EFFECT The Mobile Tailor FreestyleX: Duru Azubuike Your Body : Your Business 1. The Custodian of Orange Culture: Adebayo Oke-Lawal 2. The Spark Profiles House of GDI SPECIAL FEATURE PRO BONO FEATURES FEATURES 1. The Charming Force Behind Abaya Lagos 2. Modest Fashion : An Insider s Guide into its evolving style Intellectual property in Fashion 1. The Scent That Leads 2. The Runway of Fashion Weeks and Weekends 3. The Spark Street Style 4. Fashion Brands and Influencers 5. Fashion Brand Challenges of Nigerian Footwear Entrepreneurs 7. Organizations that invest in Fashion Businesses 8. Fashion MAiN START UP INTUNE WITH BRANDSPARK WHAT NEXT? The Business of Fashion Ethnik by Tunde Owolabi Nedoux Sews Vs The Fashion Faculty 3

6 Bottom Line Scaling Your Small Fashion Business The Global Fashion Industry is huge, however the Nigerian players are largely still in the SME space. There is, therefore, an urgent need to scale up and join the big players By Oluwatosin Olaseinde Did you know that the Global Fashion Industry is estimated to be worth $2.4 trillion, that s according to Mckinsey. In fact, not only does it touch everyone, but it would be the world s seventh-largest economy if ranked alongside individual countries GDP. Shocking statistic but while the global numbers are really impressive, most of the players in Nigeria are thriving in the MSME space. This is a really huge global market, how do we then transition from the current space of a micro fashion company to a larger more profitable one? As your startup or small business hits its moment of stability i.e steady small revenue, steady customers, steady flow of income, it s time to scale. However, this can prove to a tricky and grueling exercise. You need to continue serving your current clients and doing what works, but you need to plan your finances and marketing for bigger projects and bigger audiences at the same time. Many entrepreneurs are usually stuck in this quagmire but it s impossible to scale without mastering your numbers. Your numbers tell you so much about your company. Are you running around in circles? Are you truly making profits? Which products are your high return products? Which items offer fast growth in terms of sales? You need to have this info at the tips of your finger. You need to speak your numbers comfortably. Many fashion entrepreneurs, especially those without a financial background struggle with this. But it isn t as complex as you think. It is a critical aspect of your business you need to know. If not you might be unable to take your business to the next level as you are unaware of the lifeline it has. How to Finance Your Growing Small Business Your finances are is changing regularly. From initial projections when you opened your doors, to adjust for the real-world market, to financing growth, the budgeting needs a continuous update. While you transition from where you are now to where you ought to be these are things that can help financially. 1. Adjust Your Budget: 3 Steps to Savvy Finances Do you have a budget? Is your budget realistic? For a budget to be effective, it has to be close to reality as much as possible. So write down everything, from the yarns to the thread to the rent and even the fluctuating costs of diesel to keep the lights on. So you need to finetune the budget to reflect your realities, that way you are more prepared for uncertainties as you ve tried to take into account as much info as possible From experience, a lot of entrepreneurs are overly optimistic, the sales are usually projected to be so high while the costs are sometimes understated. With some years of running the business under the bag, it helps reduce this error to some extent. Always look at your past reality and reflect new realities, e.g if you made sales of 300 unit of clothing in the prior year and you plan to leverage off more advert via social media or reward your existing customers if they brought new clients, you can reflect the expected new growth. So while you re projecting this numbers, back it up with actions. For instance, do you really need that big store? Can you get a smaller one and leverage on social media to drive your business? How can you cut costs without affecting quality and growth? Project sales and profits If this is your first budget, estimate a reasonable profit for the coming year. If you have records, pull last year s profit statement and use that to estimate your sales target for the coming year. Estimate expenses Fixed expenses will be easier to assume than variable expenses if you re starting from scratch. Consider salaries and wages, rent, utilities, taxes, supplies, etc. Calculate gross profit margin Subtract the cost of goods (inventory, shipping charges, etc.) from your profit target. 4

7 worth 2.) The use of professional service Also depending on the level you are, do not hold back on utilizing the services of professionals, there are now consultants and finance professionals targeting their business models at firms like yours making the service more affordable. There is an SME accounting firm that charges N35,000 to help SMEs prepare their books. Also if you re seeking external funding, an investor will prioritize a company with properly recorded financial records over one without it You need to start thinking of scaling with effective means and that doesn t mean breaking the bank. How do I grow at a faster pace or gain traction while spending less per unit? These are the questions you need to answer. 3.) Secure Funds for Growth and Sustainability Capital still remains one of the reasons, many small companies are not able to move to the next level. There are quite a number of ways to secure funds, one needs to choose the one that s right for the business. As it can be the determining factor if the company will survive. According to Mckinsey, the Global Fashion Industry is estimated to be $2.4 trillion. Some of the possible sources for financing include: Friends and family: Especially in an environment like ours with limited access to finances. Your business isn t a charity, draw up a plan, let your friends and family know what return it s in for them should they invest. Or it could be a soft loan to be repaid over the years. Crowdfunding: This is pooling resources from several investors. Again you need to sell the pros of why they should invest in you Startup competitions and grants: There are quite a number of this in the market. You need to read up on how best to apply that way you have an edge over other applicants. Loans: The cost of the loan is very important, it doesn t make sense to incur a loan that cost 80% per annum if your business isn t making enough margin to pay back. The cheaper the loan the better. Ask questions, what is the cost? Angel investors and venture capitalists: These are organized fund investors that s making seed investments in your growing enterprise. Develop a pitch and read the fine line with regards to the condition of investment and if equity will be exchanged. When you ve kept your books, understood your business and made proper inquiries, it becomes easier for you to make decisions about scaling. 5

8 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Wired In Digitally Fashionable Digital media has seeped into fashion as well and has become expedient in the development of the African Fashion industry By Tamara Ncala For as long as I can remember, fashion has always played a big role in my identity and self-expression. I grew up exploring different styles from being a Tomboy dressing up like Aaliyah to the exploration of punk and goth styles to a more diverse style that wavers between elegance and badgalriri. As African fashion became more and more visible, I began exploring different patterns and appreciated all the fashion diversity Africa has to offer. The advancement of technology has created a shift in the representation of African fashion and its visibility in the industry. Through mass and digital media, the African fashion industry has captured the attention of the world and everyone wants a taste of what we have to offer. Digital media has become an essential accessory to the development of the African fashion industry as every brand is capable of representing themselves on social media. Through this, they are also able to connect with their customers in a way that they never had before. Consumers have now become the biggest part of advertising these brands through user-generated content (word of mouth) that has become so much easier to share. For African bloggers and influencers, these advancements have also created platforms for career developments in terms of reviews, opinions pieces, sponsorship and so forth. Brands not only share their fashion, but they also pay attention to influencers and trendsetters who direct consumers to feed into what s next and what s trending. The growth of influencers has initiated the breakdown in marketing hierarchies, challenging the norm of the roles of people in fashion and media industries. It has created a more interactive creative space for fashion and I believe a result of this is represented in the rapid influence African fashion has had on the global fashion industry. I have just started out my journey in exploring the influencer aspect of fashion and look forward to exploring what the diverse African Fashion has to offer. I look forward to the bigger roles fashion influencers like myself will continue to play in representing African oriented fashion to a global audience. The growth of influencers has initiated the breakdown in marketing hierarchies, challenging the norm of the roles of people in fashion and media industries. 6

9 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Fast Forward The Mobile Tailor The beauty of technology is in how it enables better service and operations across different industries By Clemas Effanga Imagine an application that allows you to take accurate measurements and get the best-fitted clothes without visiting the tailor; an application that makes you your own personal fashion designer? This is what we are birthing as The Mobile Tailor. I stumbled upon the idea in 2014 while in a strategy class in business school. I was a fashion designer hungry for knowledge to scale my business. The lecturer mentioned that businesses need to explore ways of bringing their businesses closer to the people. That all businesses ought to be mobile. The future of business is being able to transition from the old ways towards data enabled and driven method. In essence, we needed to be on people s mobile phones. From that day I started exploring ways of making people design clothes using their mobile phone in real time. I researched this method extensively and found out it was already in existence in Europe. All I needed to do was improve on it and make it African. There are a lot of challenges around starting something new anywhere, but Africa has the same challenges in complex ways. For example, assembling a team of like-minded and skilled people willing to grow with the vision was very difficult. While there is a general deficit in skill levels, there are also skilled people who can t afford to chase a dream when the pocket isn t very healthy. Funding is also another major issue. Most investors look for quick return on investments. Luckily, we have several tech hubs and investors filling that gap in Nigeria. In spite of the challenges, people have been very receptive to the overall idea and concept of the application. While we understand that market penetration will gradually become possible, the excitement we ve seen in focus groups and during the market testing phase tell us that it will be definite. For sustainable growth to happen in the fashion industry, we need like-minded stakeholders to start thinking ahead. The fashion space is very large and very much untapped. Better equipment needs to be brought in. The whole value chain associated with the design and production needs to be technology enabled. The industry is growing astronomically. Brands need to start thinking global. We are already pioneering that. Just as we have tech hubs we also need fashion hubs so we can scale and leverage at the same time. The Mobile Tailor will definitely make people more interested in fashion. People will enjoy the comfort and thrill of getting well-fitted clothing in their homes, designed to their taste. It will make investors and the government look inwards with the right push. People will come to understand that fashion is a serious business and its evolution through technology is here to grow. The future of business is being able to transition from the old ways towards data enabled and driven method. 7

10 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Freestyle FreestyleX: Duru Azubuike By Ayandola Ayanleke Duru Joseph Azubuike, also known as Durustudios, is a 25 years old Artist and Photographer. A graduate of Fine and Applied Arts from the University of Benin, he stated that he decided to channel his love for art digitally through motion and still images. I started off as a cinematographer but later realized the importance for photography in my journey to becoming the kind of artist I want to be. So far, I have embarked on different projects such as music videos, collaborations and different editorials where my work have been published. I create every art with the sole aim of passing a message that either corrects a wrong or motivates the public to do great things. Light inspires my art. Light in my opinion is a symbolic element in life and how I use it is what defines who I am as an artist and photographer. Connect with him via duruazubuike@gmail.com 8

11 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Our A Team Tony Aigbogun, Hair Stylist Rhoda Ebun, Stylist and Fashion Brand Consultant Our Day 1 Crew, Here s our little way of saying thank you. Through long days, last minute deliverables and limited resources, you have shown nothing but commitment and utmost professionalism. You are more than a call away, you are family. P.S: To everyone who came in as a guest for this fashion edition, we thank you too. We look forward to celebrating you and celebrating with you as your dreams come true. Lilian Paul Omozele, MakeUp Artist Our jovial hair bender Tony is a professional hairstylist and the CEO of T S BEAUTY ACE. T s Beauty Ace is a beauty brand that specializes in the art of hairstyling with a focus on the Editorial, Bridal and the Conventional arms of hairstyling. He gets giddy about the extreme creativity in the art of hairstyling and is thrilled by the opportunity to bend a client s hair into different forms. He calls this an awesome experience Talk about a man that loves his job. He started his hair journey back in 2011 and believes it is worth every work he puts into it. You can reach him via: tsbeautyace@gmail.com Phone: Address: 20, Abina Street off Randle Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. Our guru of The Looks Rhoda is the principal consultant at Roses and Thorns Fashion Company (RTFCOMPANY), a boutique fashion consulting company which focuses on growing and building fashion brands through brand consult, PR and Creative Direction; as well as fashion styling for TV productions and celebrities and private individuals. They are professionals at helping fashion brands discover their niché market as well as niché identity. They are motivated by the ideal that by adding value to the fashion industry in Nigeria, they can help move it to international market. Our Professional Mama. MUA extraordinaire. Lilian Paul is a physicist and the co-founder of The Beauty Precinct, an organization committed to providing exceptional makeover services for fashion and special events, editorial, bridal, film production and makeup artistry trainings. She is currently a coambassador for Black Opal. Lilian is passionate about youth development and has partnered with schools, charity organizations and churches to help reduce unemployment in Nigeria. She is also a team player on Girls Aide; an initiative to help develop the young girl child. Beyond her makeup skills, we love her discipline, commitment to service and attention to details. Contact Phone: Address: 8, Maduike Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Etiosa, Lagos Kola Oshalusi, Photographer Our oga with the sharp lens Kola is one of those guys who gave up a life of a comfortable career for one behind the lens long before photography became a cool career. He is the Creative Director, Insignia Media solution and the convener of the Business of Photography Conference. His aim is to bring together under one roof, photographers, photography manufacturing and servicing as well as photography retail businesses for conversations on improving the industry. The conference also serves for exhibitions and sales of all things photography. We don t want you to be like Kola, be you, but learn from him. Kola knows his stuff. Contact: Contact details Phone: For this edition The Style Concierge, courtesy Ozinna Anumudu TSC offers tailored branding and strategic marketing services to companies in the fashion and lifestyle industry. The TSC team works to create bespoke packages for clients, including activities like content creating, coordinating events and photoshoots. It was a pleasure to have Nene, Tola, Olivia and Susan join our guest editor, Ozinna, for our photoshoot. Your assistance in the studio and on the streets are priceless. And Ozinna, you already know. Your campaign crew is ready. Thank you. Contact Phone: info@thestyleconcierge.com.ng Website: Duru Azubuike, Duru Studios You were light on this edition. Right place. Right timing. Right clicks. These photos are more than lit. Thank you for the shoot, the edits and the edits after the edits that we didn t know we needed. Your skills are about to be in hot demand. Be ready. Contact Instagram 9

12 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Vital Signs Your Body : Your Business Body image and selfesteem issues are known to be causes of depression amongst young people. This is made worse by the pressure of consumerism and a desire to own the latest fashion pieces. Lala is a plus-size model and body-positive activist. In this article, she illuminates some issues associated with the pressures of the fashion industry. By Lala Tshabalala The fashion industry puts pressure on people s mental health by constantly selling this idea that we are not good enough. Between all the body standards, beauty standards, and body trends, no one can keep up. Even the people that we are being convinced to look like don t really look that way. After Photoshop and all those filters, what we see is just someone s imagination. I relate to this syndrome of wanting to fit in because while growing up, my self-esteem problem was always related to body image. I was the chubby girl in primary school with big breasts and a big butt amongst predominantly white children who didn t look like 10

13 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve There are so many blessings in living in your truth. that. I had a complex about my body for the longest time. I was also friends with the popular girls who looked ideal by societal standards and I just didn t fit in. Besides the pressure from school, the media added to those insecurities. At the time even the it girls looked the same, - Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The Spice Girls. etc. I quickly realized that I needed to overcome the feeling of not being enough and I did that by choosing to surround myself with positive people who were all about positive vibes. I had no energy left for all that negativity and body shaming. I focused on and followed brands, publications/pages that were size and beauty inclusive. This meant that any brands, pages/ publications that I couldn t relate to, that didn t speak to my reality, my truth and were not inclusive, I unfollowed. Seek help, that s what I say to people suffering from eating disorders and depression. There s no shame in saying you know what guys, I m just not coping. I need help. At some point in life, we all need help. The most important thing is to remember and understand that you re not alone. To add to the pressure of having the ideal body, many people end up living far beyond their means trying to follow fashion trends. They take clothes that they can t afford on credit and before they can even pay that off, there s a new trend out that they will want to also follow. This is how depression and anxiety becomes a reality because they so badly want to fit in and be considered a part of the cool kids. If you desire to avoid the pressure trap of keeping up with the Joneses, I will advise you to be true to yourself. Buy something because you sincerely like it, not because your favorite magazine/ celebrity has told you it s poppin. Be still and live in your truth. Stop focusing on the Joneses and focus on yourself, your happiness, your goals, your growth. The most important thing - unsubscribe to beauty and body standards and redefine them. Beauty is whatever YOU think it is but whatever happens, make sure you are included in your new definition. There are so many blessings in living in your truth. From the moment I started my body-love journey, focused on self-love, personal growth and following my dreams, my life has changed. I m happier. I m more successful. Things that I didn t believe were possible for me are happening to me. I went from being absolutely ashamed of my body to be a working model, shooting campaigns for local and international brands, walking runway shows and inspiring other women too. I m blessed and you can be too! 11

14 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve The Spark Effect The Custodian of Orange Culture: Adebayo Oke-Lawal From the spotless skin to the colorful silky outfit, Adebayo Oke-Lawal looked like a walking billboard for the fashion industry. Even more fascinating was his warmth and eagerness to share the best of himself with you, our avid audience. Enjoy his reflections on starting out, staying in the game and stepping up as an example to a young generation. By Damilola Oyewusi The Man My name is Adebayo Oke-Lawal, a fashion designer. I own and run an androgynous menswear brand called Orange Culture. I graduated from the University of Lagos with a finance degree and Northumbria University in England with a masters in international business management. From the green bills to Orange Culture; the journey from finance to fashion. I always knew I wanted to get into fashion but I also wanted to be educated. Fashion education didn t really exist in Nigeria at that time so I decided with the advice of my dad to go into finance because every business needs finances to survive. I worked for a few years and realized it was added knowledge but not something I wanted to dedicate hours of my life to. So I dumped it. And after years of interning while in school and while working, I decided to launch my brand in 2010/2011. It was the scariest and riskiest decision I made as a young person in Nigeria; investing all my savings and started off the brand. Challenges starting out People had no belief in what I was trying to do. It was different and that didn t go well with many people that should have supported me or invested in the business. What was normal back then was to own a fashion company that made Suits or Agbada. Casual wasn t a thing in Nigeria. But I knew what I wanted to do and continued nonetheless. It wasn t easy but Orange Culture is not only still running but we ve been featured in magazines and in fashion shows across the world. 12

15 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Creativity and profitability are not mutually exclusive. You ve got to plan for both. Finding the balance between creativity and business That is one of the hardest things ever. I m beginning to work on getting a business manager because it literally is so difficult. I think what helps is knowing that the only way my creativity can be explored or fueled is if there is a strong financial backing behind it. Knowing this and the fact that we are self-funded, forced me to make smarter and more balanced decisions for the brand for longevity sake. Mistakes aspiring or start-up entrepreneurs make today Ah. There are a lot. Many of them are not interning - or acquiring pre-knowledge of some sort before launching. They also want to start big. I always advise that you start small and then build up. Then we have those who try to replicate brands that inspire them instead of being original. Not planning is another one. A business plan is so important. You also find fashion startups without a definition of their customer and market concentration. Most new businesses also lack creativity because of the urge to make money. But creativity and profitability are not mutually exclusive. You ve got to plan for both. Keys to success in the Nigerian fashion industry Avoid making those mistakes I mentioned earlier. It s a very difficult industry, so be willing to learn, be passionate and stay focused. Look at the gaps we need to fill and build your business based on those gaps. Hopes for the Nigerian fashion and style industry An accredited fashion education system comes to play. It is vital and will help fix a lot of our foundational technical industry issues. I also envision the industry further opening up to a division of labour. We need more than just Fashion designers to build sustainable businesses. It is my dream that we become a fashion capital in the world. Thanks to shows like the Lagos fashion week, this is happening already. Advice for an aspiring entrepreneur in your space Be diligent and resilient. Celebrate your differences and how you create. Giving back and empowering young people I always knew I wanted to get into fashion but I also wanted to be educated. I enjoy talking with teenagers and young people, especially now when Social Media is where they look to for validation. They need to see good examples of people living beyond the moment and start dreaming big. I m always open to partnerships for anything that has to do with inspiring or teaching young people. Watch out for our Icon video with Adebayo Oke-Lawal for more. Follow our Instagram page - It is my dream that we become a fashion capital in the world. 13

16 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve The Spark Effect The Spark Profiles House of GDI By Ayandola Ayanleke Evelyn Aligba is the Founder and Creative Director of House of GDI, a lifestyle design brand. She started the House of GDI in January of 2017 after working in another fashion house as a business manager for almost two years. She describes herself as a creative entrepreneur constantly seeking new ways to express her creativity. Her company designs and creates female clothing which includes work wears, bridals, ready to wear as well as bespoke tailoring. They also create leather fashion accessories like footwear and bags for the stylish individual. The thought of making an efficient production to client experience gave birth to House of GDI. We are here to answer a single question, how do we make elegance a personalized experience? such that when you wear a House of GDI piece, whether an outfit or an accessory, it truly expresses who you are elegantly and confidently. She admitted it has not been a smooth sail all through. Some of the basic challenges we had while starting out were; funding for the business, others were difficulty with getting competent human resources, epileptic power supply, building a client base and many others. Despite the challenge of funding, Evelyn started out not subscribing to the belief that one cannot establish a business in Nigeria without access to a large pool of capital. I m not a big believer of that line of thought. Even though funding is important, it s not all there is to starting and running a business. Is the business idea viable? How can you scale it down to the smallest bit such that funding isn t the primary focus? Start there and then grow fast from there, that s my thought. Social media has gone a long way in helping her business, she readily admitted. When it comes to reaching new customers, nothing does it better than doing so online, using marketing, Instagram and WhatsApp which are faster and easier. We have serviced clients whom we have never seen, thanks to the internet. They have also referred others as well, which has translated to more sales. Many young people on social media feel comfortable conversing through Instagram DM, WhatsApp chat or voice call; we recognized this behavior early and made it a key part of our sales process. is for outreach, invoicing and receipt delivery (every sale is invoiced and documented by sending the client invoice), WhatsApp for follow up, feedback, and 14

17 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve negotiations (we have clients around the world, and this medium is most preferred), Facebook is just to maintain a presence for now; we don t do much engagement on it. We plan to include e-commerce to the business as we have plans to reach the rest of Africa. On what sets them apart, she mentioned the ethos of the brand as seen on the website, houseofgdi.com; You are, Becoming beautiful daily, deliberately. Until your beauty becomes contagious, affecting everything around you (your living spaces being beautiful as you are), you only get better. You are special, one of a kind. Cherish your uniqueness, celebrating every day as a process of living beautifully you. #HouseOfGdi. That is what you get when you encounter House of GDI, it reflects in everything we do, from consultations with our clients to production, social media, and of course delivery. That is what sets us apart. As for what the government can do for the fashion industry, she asserts, When the economy becomes better, when power supply becomes better, the government is helping the fashion industry. But more directly, I would say when there are policies that enable private participation in the economy, these private industries will thrive and in turn grow our economy. Funding for businesses will also help as well. Giving advice to start-up and potential fashion entrepreneurs, Evelyn says, starting out isn t usually easy especially when you re starting out without funding. I would say, once you have an idea you believe can translate to business, believe in it strongly but be open-minded enough to test the idea, this gives you an insight into what people who would probably become clients think of your idea. Once you ve tested the idea and it looks viable to you, influenced by the results you came up with, please go with it head on and keep at it with everything. Surrounding yourself with positive minded people is very important as well. Keep learning, keep growing, don t be scared to make mistakes but learn fast from those mistakes and move forward. 15

18 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Special Feature The Charming Force Behind Abaya Lagos Salihat Rahaman is a breath of fresh air, charming and beautiful in her gorgeous pieces that balance modesty with a sweet aura of attraction. The architect and founder of Abaya Lagos graced us with her thoughts on being a fashion entrepreneur while still practicing as an architect. By Damilola Oyewusi Architecture is my first love; I still practice and I don t think I will ever be able to give it up! What I find wonderful is the fact that the world of design, whether it is clothing or accessories; structures or even just spaces speak one language - innovation and creativity. This is where all the sub-elements come together. Mind you, a few world-famous architects have gone on to design luxury jewelry and other accessories, while world-class fashion designers have also gone in the reverse order to design luxury spaces in real estate. The lover of family, music and the arts describes her foray into the fashion business as an unplanned but worthy venture. I started AbayaLagos purely to solve a problem. I was growing out my natural hair and being a practicing site architect on the go, traveling from place to place, I had to develop the design for a headwear that I could simply slip on and go on a difficult hair day, with the look of having been carefully wrapped. Sometime after that, I rediscovered a love and appreciation for abayas (flowing robes and overalls) and found that these could complement the turbans and in vibrant colors, trendy styles and silhouettes. The compliments and orders I got propelled me into doing it as a side hustle until it became almost impossible for me to remain in paid employment and handle AbayaLagos at the same time and in the way that I felt was right for the business. That said, I eventually resigned this year as the youngest Executive Board Member at Design Group Nigeria. The rest is the beginning of a most thrilling life and career experience of my life! While the fashion trend in today s world is to show some skin, She was not deterred in choosing this particular niche focused on modesty with the firm belief that if provided the right fashion, modesty would be the preferred wardrobe style for most women. This was the challenge that sparked her choice of niche. innovation In the world of design, whether it is clothing or accessories; structures or even just spaces speak one language - and creativity. 16

19 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve However, she admitted to facing certain challenges in her business. Creatives sometimes tend to make poor business people, so in my case, I was designing away and loving how my sketches came to life, while not paying attention to profitability and growth of the business. Learning the business of fashion itself has been the greatest challenge. I am still learning, but I also have had great help along the way and my family has been super. She considers her first official collection launch in 2015 as the spark moment of her success. The reception was great and I never expected the sales that were made in that one evening. The publicity that followed was amazing!! People still remember it to this day. It is a constant reminder and validation for me that there is definitely something special about the brand. When asked if there were some things she wished she knew earlier, Salihat said she wished she was more focused and planned deliberately because she has come to understand that the results from planning are impressive unlike when things are done on a whim. There are however no regrets as she has learned from the experience to keep her brand going strong. Now, she advises others starting up in the industry to stay focused. My principle is - focus, focus, and focus. This industry is full of all sorts of distractions - some make you feel that you are not doing enough; some like you are already at the top. The key is to just keep working and keep your eye on the ball. Eventually, the work pays off. It is a constant evolution, this business of fashion and design. Salihat would like to mentor one deserving youth as a way of giving back to the society. Knowledge is power. That is the one great way that I think I can empower others. There is not enough knowledge transfer going on. Those coming behind need a platform to take off from in terms of knowledge that they can build on. I am currently mentoring a young lady who makes accessories. She is eager to learn and hungry for knowledge. Now I know next to nothing about making accessories, but through our conversations, I fuel her hunger to research, and I question her processes and business module so that she is pushed to see the pitfalls and mitigate against them or develop it to be better. Laughing heartily as our photographer made a comment about capturing her personality in a photo, she said, Even the entire room is not enough to capture my personality. We believe her and look forward to Abaya Lagos achieving massive success and making a real impact across the country and the world. To be a mentee with Salihat Rahaman of Abaya Lagos, apply via Creatives sometimes tend to make poor business people, so in my case I was designing away and loving how my sketches came to life, while not paying attention to profitability and growth of the business. 17

20 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Special Feature Modest Fashion : An Insider s Guide into its evolving style In an industry where sheer and skin tight clothing is celebrated, it is refreshing to see the growing acceptance of modesty as a stylish form of fashion expression. By Fatima Togbe fusion Modest fashion is a trend that has existed throughout history but is making a comeback through the rise of Muslimah fashionistas and platforms. It is now known for its beautiful fusion of faith and fashion. The numerous trends that are surfacing, not only comply with the rules of Islamic dressing but also provide a style statement for the modest woman wearing them. In the midst of this global trend, it is interesting to see how the Nigerian fashion industry has taken a strong stance in this field and today we focus on a few standouts in the growing community. 1. BLOGGERS What s better than a style blogger? A modest style blogger one who can be fashionably creative without baring her skin. A number of modest style bloggers such as Hafsah Mohammed, Hauwa Indimi, Halima Mustapha, Maryam Salam and more, have been surfacing in the Nigerian fashion industry and we completely love how they are able to fuse their religious beliefs with their sense of style. 2. MEDIA PLATFORMS Hayati Magazine is the first Nigerian lifestyle magazine geared towards Muslim women. Its content provides a balanced dose of Islam, fashion, style, and living! It is exciting to see a platform champion its beliefs to its community and the world. They ve even launched their own annual fashion week, giving aspiring modest designers, vendors, and businesses an opportunity to showcase their collections to an otherwise hard to reach niche market segment. Modest fashion is now known for its beautiful of faith and fashion. 3. CONSULTING AGENCIES The Muslimah Style Guide started off as a dream to infuse style into the lives of Muslim women. Over the years, it has now transitioned into an image development agency for Muslim Women. It has spent years leading the community in the right and modest way, in accordance with their faith. With an ever growing directory and image consultations, they ve created a love-filled space for women to connect, reflect and radiate. The Muslimah Style Guide has even gone further by launching the 1st style show for Muslim Women in Nigeria which airs weekly. 4. DESIGNERS Prominent brands such as Dolce and Gabbana, H&M, Zara and even Oscar de la Renta are leaning toward Modest fashion by creating collections that pay homage to their consumer s faith and culture. The most notable pieces of these collections are hijabs, turbans, and abayas. In Nigeria, a plethora of designers have explored this market, namely Falke by Aisha, Abaya Lagos, Elora Collection and more. 18

21 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Pro-Bono Intellectual Property in Fashion By Kike Ojewale The Nigerian Fashion Industry The growth of the Nigerian fashion industry has been phenomenal. Over the last few years, we have seen our designs being showcased here in Nigeria and abroad, to both local and foreign attendees. As such, we have become a force to be reckoned with in the global fashion industry. Recent studies have shown that the Nigerian Fashion Industry will be worth at least $8.1 billion by It is very interesting that for an industry that is so valuable, very little is done to protect the rights of its stakeholders. One of the most effective ways to protect the stakeholders and their rights in the industry is through intellectual property rights. Intellectual Property is an intangible asset which is very similar to other forms of physical property. It can be sold, purchased, licensed or destroyed. Intellectual Property rights aim to give exclusive protection to mental labor, innovation, and creativity; which form the basis of the fashion industry. This protection further fosters even more creativity and innovation in the Fashion Industry. Intellectual Property Rights in Nigeria The Intellectual Property Rights most applicable to stakeholders in the Nigerian Fashion Industry are Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Designs. In this article, we will focus on Design Protection as it is one of the most effective forms of protection in the fashion industry. Design Protection Generally, an industrial design consists of two-dimensional features, such as ornamentation, patterns, lines or color of a product; three-dimensional features, such as the shape of a product; or a combination of one or more such features. Essentially, design law protects the general aesthetic and overall appearance of a design. For a design to be registrable in Nigeria, it must meet the following requirements: It must be new a design meets the novelty criteria if no identical design has been made available to the public before the date of filing, or the application for registration. It must be original designs are considered as original if they have been independently created by the designer and is not a copy or an imitation of existing designs. Abridged version. For in depth information and analysis of Intellectual Property Laws in the fashion industry, please visit our website - or contact Kike Ojewale via kojewale@acas-law.com. Recent studies have shown that the Nigerian Fashion Industry will be worth at least $8.1 billion by

22 The Jollof Wife Material It is not every day you go to the village and cook firewood Jollof rice with your family. But the wood remained damp from days of rain and wouldn t burn properly. So, I fanned continuously, blinking tears from my eyes and laughing like a child as we wondered how long it would take to cook. I wanted a photo taken, you know, for the gram. Perhaps, my future mother-in-law would see it and know how much of a wife material I am. Bhahahaha. Jokes. She is probably in a C-Level office overlooking an ocean view, encouraging her female mentees to get the third degree, and hoping her son marries one of these hardworking wife materials. While cooking and education are not mutually exclusive, it s amazing how far we ve come as a society and redefined the things that matter. And it can only get better. #BeYou #FemaleEducation #CareerWomen #WomenSupportingWomen #BestOfEverything Models - Mayowa and Omowunmi MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - TSC Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD Imperfect You. Perfect You She could feel herself falling into the dark hole again. A wave of panic squeezed sweat on her palms as she stared at the image of perfection on the glossy sheet. She traced the smoothness and wondered how God could be so partial with his distribution of beauty features. She pinched a fold around her neck and flushed warmly as she recalled the feel of Marcus warm breath when he hugged her good night. The man was crazy about her. Maybe too crazy. Because he acted like she was the most beautiful woman on the earth. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Iris, the supermodel stared at herself on the same glossy page, wondering why the photographer didn t get her good side. #LoveYourself #YouAreBeautiful #BeYou Model - Omowunmi MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - TSC Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD 20

23 Raise the Stake The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve You can only play the cards you ve been given. Many times, those who win in a game of poker aren t those with the best cards. They are those who know how to hold a straight face when no cards match up, smile and say, I ll raise the bet #BeYou #GameFace #WinOrWin Model - Omowunmi MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - TSC Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD Shoot your shot You! Yes. You. The real you. Don t miss out on the things you love because somebody who hurt you loves it too. That s just a silly thing to do. #BeYou #LiveHappy Model - Mayowa MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - TSC Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD If he knew Mgbeke s gaze from the other end of the room would still make his chest tight, he wouldn t have encouraged her to loosen up and flirt a little with the new guy across the street 3 years ago. He would have asked her out instead of feeling like he would never be good enough for her. #ShootYourShot #BeYou Model - Mayowa MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - TSC Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD 21

24 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Features The Scent That Leads Like the wise men from the East, Adewale Aladejana has followed a star that no one else saw to create a pacesetting perfume brand that specializes in Oud, Frankincense and Myrrh. He is a social media evangelist, CEO and Master Perfumer at Sapphire Scents, the premier producer, wholesaler and retailer of perfumes across the country and beyond. He opens up his world to us as an entrepreneur in the fashion industry. By Damilola Oyewusi Take us through your journey into starting your business I stumbled into the business. It was my wife s birthday in April 2014 and I wanted to make her feel special. I got her a phone and a gold chain. By the time I looked at my salary, I had exhausted it; I guess I got carried away with buying stuff. And as I just had a baby, I knew I had to do something. Then I had a couple of friends using this perfume called OUD. It was really nice. Though I have been a fragrance person all my life, that was just different for me. So I made inquiries. I had a friend coming in from Dubai and she bought me a bottle of OUD perfume. The idea just came to me to start selling the perfumes and that s how we started with just four bottles. After about three months, I made like a million Naira. I was excited and I told my pastor about it. He told me to come to see him and when I did, he encouraged me to expand, go to Dubai myself and import. Then he wrote me a million Naira cheque and prophesied growth. Through leaps and bounds, we have grown since then. Recently, we started our own line, Sapphire Attar, which is concentrated perfume oil. The reception has been exceptional. What inspired you to establish a perfumery business, considering that perfume is not necessarily produced in Nigeria? I have always loved perfumes and had a nose that knew perfumes that could make money. I smelt what we created at Sapphire Scents and we knew we could do better than the foreign brands. You have a distributorship program for young people. How does it work? We started the distributor chain for the unemployed, youth corps members, and underemployed. We work even with employed people who cannot do business because they can t find the time. But you have these 5ml bottles of samples that you can show to your colleagues at work. And perfume is like a lifetime business because people will always use perfumes. They are to register with Sapphire Scents to get these perfumes at a lower rate. And just at your desk, you can be selling to your friends. And it is based on your circle. If my friend is selling something, I will not go to the supermarket to get it. Usually, your first clients are usually those in your circle. Some friends will probably just buy to support you and then, they become hooked. We have hundreds of people who have made a lot of profit from Sapphire scents. What are the necessary things you think the government and other stakeholders can do to boost the fashion industry in Nigeria? Showcase what Nigerians are doing on a global scale; not the mediocre stuff but stuff that really stands out. The Spark by Business Day congratulates Wale Aladehana and the entire Sapphire Scents family on the opening of the Lagos store in Lekki Phase 1. You can keep up with Sapphire Scents on Facebook: Sapphirescents What were some of the challenges you encountered starting out? One of the major challenges we had was that people didn t understand OUD; they were calling it Hausa perfume. So we had to take the time to educate people about OUD. Again, packaging was another challenge we faced. But we have been able to sort out the two by God s grace. What do you know now that you wished your 18-year-old self-knew and other upcoming entrepreneurs know today? very Financial education is important Financial education and structure are very important. Keep your books and documents as much as possible. 22

25 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve The Runway of Fashion Weeks and Weekends Nigeria is gradually becoming a capital of Africa s fashion events, celebrating the best of Africa s fashion. We take a look at some upcoming Fashion Shows in this part of the world. By Ayandola Ayanleke Nigeria is quickly becoming a hub of fashion with the recent concentration on Nigerian and African fabrics. The world is beginning to take notice of the beauty that lies in the African soil, in every area, including fashion. And thankfully, Nigerians themselves have increasingly leveraged on the growing fashion industry to tell the African story our own way. The narrative is changing from a people who are desperately in need of saving to a people who have carved a niche for themselves, made the world take a pause and have multiple looks. The New York Fashion Week and the Paris Fashion Week are household names in the fashion world, and the fashion events in Nigeria are also beginning to make a conspicuous impression in the fashion world. While still in their early stages, these events holding between September and October are opening up the market and providing commercial opportunities to homegrown designers and retailers. Lagos Fashion Fair The Lagos Fashion Fair showcases the beauty, uniqueness, and dynamism of the fashion space. It is an international Ready to Wear Garments Exhibition. The three-day event which will hold from the 16th to 18th of October in the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, is powered by Atlantic Exhibition Nigeria Limited. The fair is open to exhibitors and visitors alike and will be a great channel to grow your network. Exhibitors get to present their craft to a broader audience while visitors get to see some of the best fashion pieces in the world. The beauty of the event is that it is all-encompassing, ranging from apparels, shoes, bags to jewelry, fabrics and so on. Lagos Fashion Week In the commercial capital of West Africa, Lagos, the Lagos Fashion Week, sponsored by Heineken, will be held from the 24th to the 27th of October, A brain-child of Omoyemi Akerele, founder and executive director of Style House Files, the Lagos Fashion Week is an annual event that showcases the best of Nigeria and even the continent. The event which is attended by industry leaders, potential and start-up designers, entrepreneurs and fashion enthusiasts, is a wonderful platform for networking because it brings together designers, buyers and the media to celebrate the ever-evolving world of fashion. African Fashion Week Also to be held in the business hub of West Africa, Lagos, African Fashion Week is a platform to present some of the best designers in Africa to the world. Apart from the street catwalks and fashion shows from over 40 designers expected from all over Africa, there would also be conferences that would definitely be a source of updated fashion information, hair styling, makeup shows and model casting among other activities. The aim of the event is to celebrate great local fashion designers and brands by providing them with the needed global visibility that would benefit them and Africa at large. The date of the event themed African Heritage Arise is yet to be announced. GTB Fashion Weekend Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) has also weighed in on the wave surrounding Nigeria and African fashion. Scheduled to hold from Saturday, the 10th of November to Sunday, the 11th of November, 2018, the event is a consumer-based exhibition. The aim is to showcase some of the best and recognized fashion designers and brands across the world to a fashion enthusiastic audience. It is indeed a good idea for networking and meeting like minds. This year s edition is going to be the third edition and it will be held in Lagos. It is a public event, which will also feature master classes facilitated by widely-known fashion experts. It is a three-part event featuring opportunities to shop, master classes and runway shows, providing something for everyone. Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo The third edition of the Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo is scheduled to hold from the 4th to the 6th of October in Lagos. The event is an international footwear and leather fair showcasing local and international footwear and leather manufacturers to the public in order to foster networking, collaborations, and exposure. The event will feature more than 22 footwear and leather manufacturers, over 16 speakers and hundreds of buyers, the media as well as other fashion enthusiasts. Fashion, as we know it, is ever-changing and these fashion events have, in different ways, paved the way to celebrating the dynamism of African fashion. 23

26 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve The Spark Street Style Street Style during fashion weeks has become just as major as the actual style we find on the runway. These are beautifully captured, mostly candid, moments of fashionistas and fashion lovers alike showcasing their personal style! Got good places to go. I hope I see you when I get there. #DoYou Models - Olivia MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - Self-styled Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD For this fashion issue, we have Olivia Arukwe and Hafsah Mohammed strut their stuff on the streets of Lagos in anticipation of the fashion weeks coming soon to Lagos! Did you think there was a rule book on being stylish? Nah. Make yours. Own yours. Strut yours. #DoYou Model - Hafsah MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - Self-styled Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD 24

27 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Keep your eyes on the prize. #DoYou Model - Hafsah MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling - Self-styled Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios CopywriterOTD Turn the spotlight on yourself, sis. You ll find out you look beautiful too. #DoYou Models - Hafsah Olivia MakeUp - Lilian Paul Styling -Self-styled Hair - T s Beauty Photo - Duru Studios Copywriter - OTD 25

28 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Fashion Brands and Influencers By Ozinna Anumudu Before one proceeds to fault a system, or rather express their frustrations within the system it is only right the system is thoroughly spelled out. Influencer marketing is the latest form of marketing that has taken global brands by the horns. Every brand is interested in having an edge over the next brand by any means necessary, and influencer marketing is the new way to do so. An influencer is simply a person with a voice and a large, engaging, and active following. This persona has most likely gained such clout and success via social media channels, blogging, and their various activities. This persona essentially has the undivided attention of their said audience and can inevitably sway consumer behaviors. Brands have noticed that using such a person has a stronger pull on its consumers than paid advertising because they connect their ideas and messages with people on a personal level, and are thereby more trustworthy. These personalities now have access to consumers real-time: audiences that many other mediums such a magazine, tv channels, and even celebrities do not have. Influencer marketing, therefore, is the act of brands engaging their services to market their products and services to their consumers. The Nigerian influencer market is young, relatively young in comparison to the western world. However, it would be unfair to claim that it does not exist. Nigerian brands and global brands attempting to enter the market are well aware of this and tend to source out influencers quite easily on social media platforms when they are ready for their campaigns. In fact: a survey by emarketer showed that 84% of markets said they would launch at least one influencer campaign within the next twelve months. The problem with the influencer marketing in Nigeria revolves around one thing: BUDGET. Most times, brands would rather barter with free products and the brand name association instead of parting with monetary value. They are convinced that this will suffice, however, influencers are becoming more value driven and are aware of it. Brands need to realize that an influencer budget is just as important as an offline marketing budget for the traditional media platforms. Influencers are even known to bring in a quicker ROI than other marketing tools. I ve been playing in the influencer space unofficially for about three years and didn t feel the need to monetize and strategize up until early 2017 when a brand was blatantly trying to take advantage of my platform that I had grown organically and cherished dearly. This made me treat myself Ozinna as a brand. I began creating rate cards and strategically interacted with these companies with my brand s interest as the foremost factor. This may have lost me clients in the short term but long term, it created structure and brought in more paying brands. This, in turn, built my portfolio of both local and international brands, who then filled my influencer arsenal. My advice to influencers new in the market or are those in the market uncertain about how to navigate the market: Stay Consistent it s the only way to show your credibility as a bankable business-oriented person. Know Your Worth understand that there is a mutually beneficial reason as to why the brand reached out to you, and if the terms are not favorable, do not accept it. Do Not Lose Your Authenticity remember that it is a privilege to have the ear of your audience. So, do not go against them by sharing information you do not believe in, or trade their trust for a payoff. 26

29 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Fashion Brand 101 By Toyin Henry-Ajayi Have you ever wondered how certain fashion brands and designers always get into magazines, blogs, and top celebrity pages while you have to battle with a few followers and customers? It s easy to think it s a function of money and connections but sometimes, it has nothing to do with those at all. Apart from high-level strategic elements like understanding the market, knowing your target audience, and developing an overall strategy, there are some simple practical things you can do to ensure your business is ready for the next step at every point. Have your elevator pitch ready You must have heard of the elevator pitch before. If you have never taken it seriously, you should now. The marketing space is fast paced and you won t always get the time to analyze, think and construct a well thought out pitch if you are called to do so urgently. You could be afforded an opportunity to be featured on a blog or in a magazine, and given a short deadline. Having an already written elevator pitch about your business makes it easy for you to do a few edits and send your details in. User-Generated Content The easy way to put this is customer feedback. Don t shy away from asking for pictures from your customers. Politely ask them to post it on their personal pages for their own network of friends to see it. Ask to be featured Don t wait to be noticed! And this is one of the reasons you need an elevator pitch prepared. If you think you d fit into a magazine or blog s content style, send them a mail and ask for a slot. Content platforms are constantly looking for something or someone fresh to feature. Stop holding back because you think you may be charged a fee. Ask first. And if you ask about 10 in a month, at least one or two will respond positively. Go beyond selling To increase your chances of getting noticed and featured, it is important that you understand your market beyond selling your products. How helpful can you be to your customers? As a fashion designer or tailor, can you show them how to fix simple button problem? As a fabric wholesaler or retailer, can you teach them how to take care of stubborn stains? Being useful to people increases your value in their eyes faster than telling them you are the Number one provider of something they need to buy in the country. Unique Message In addition to understanding the market and your consumers, you should have a unique message that sets you apart from other people in the industry and gives you a story that people would like to listen to. Collaboration What aspect of the fashion business do you operate? Is there a way you can partner with another person in the industry to further your mutual interests? Another angle to this is to collaborate for social good. Partner with an NGO or a school to fill a social gap. They get to enjoy free lessons or products from you while you open your business to new markets. Excellent service. Excellent Service. Excellent service. Always 27

30 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Challenges of Nigerian Footwear Entrepreneurs For every growth, there comes challenges to deal with. The same is true of the Nigerian footwear entrepreneur. By Toun Odetola We had gone over it again and again. Make the patterns mirror each other, I said. He bobbed his head vigorously. Let them look like a perfect pair, I said. He nodded again. I showed him how to cut the patterns. He said he understood. He made a perfect sample. I was glad. Now, here I was two days after. Staring at 2 dozen pairs of horribly mismatched Ankara slippers; because I didn t show up to monitor his work for one day. This scenario has been narrated in one form or the other by a number of the designers I have on my platform. Lack of adequately skilled artisans is a major issue that makes being a footwear designer in Nigeria difficult. While artisans might be good enough at the construction of a basic pair of shoes, the intricate detailing that separates a good pair from an amazing pair completely eludes them. And when you find that one, amazing artisan that totally gets what you want, he disappears without notice when you least expect it. No loyalty. The footwear industry in Nigeria is very promising. The new generation of consumers has evolved from treating Made- In-Nigeria products as an indication of poor taste, to actually embracing the audacity of a local designer to defy the hardships set against them. This has emboldened many closet creatives to follow their passion, diving head first into the sea of problems that is being an entrepreneur in Nigeria. However, they remain plagued by the singular, most depressing issue of power deficit. Poor power supply slows down productivity considerably and is mentally draining. Using alternatives throws production costs off the charts. I have had experiences of shoemakers waking up in the middle of the night when light comes to continue production. I have also learned that the quality of anything produced by a sleepy laborer is terrible. Then there is the problem of unavailable raw materials. Damilola Unuigbe, Creative Director at Issa & Kendi (they make the cutest jeweled mules), once said that The quality of materials from local suppliers is never consistent. Materials and tools can be good one month, and be absolutely terrible the next. This makes planning your production schedule extremely frustrating. An accessory that is the main material in your design range could disappear from the market for months, resurfacing when you have convinced yourself that the design wasn t that great anyway. Going further down the (very) long list of problems shared by my community of designers, lack of equipment is repeated a lot. Very creative concepts get trashed because it is impossible While the challenges are daunting, they are also opportunities for investors and innovators to develop solutions out of the norm and open up the market further. to use the available equipment to execute it properly. Some designers of high-heeled or non-regular shoes resort to outsourcing their production to companies in Turkey, Lisbon, Italy or China. This waters down the Proudly Nigerian mantra that got them started in the first place. One would attempt to purchase these machines, but again, there are no skilled operators. And there s the next huge problem: Funding. We need to buy machines, materials, package, advertise, deliver but there s barely enough funds to pay workers. Bank loans are difficult and expensive to source. Fortunately, the government has actively begun providing cheaper funding options for SMEs. Non-profit organizations and philanthropists are also supporting young businesses. It will be worth exploring platforms like LSETF, BOI, NACC (just search on Google with the acronyms, the full names will pop-out) for updates on low-cost loans, business grants, and other opportunities. Finally, after putting in all that hard work, a creative person would like to rest. But then, who is going to sell all those shoes he has piled up. Production and distribution require 2 different personality traits that many individuals find difficult to mix. Due to limited funding and the unwillingness to be stuck with a huge inventory of shoes that might be difficult to sell, many Nigerian footwear manufacturers will prefer to produce only when they receive requests. They don t maximize the production process to create as many pairs of shoes as their team can roll-out. This makes it difficult to take advantage of economies of scale and ultimately limits the business s growth potential. Thankfully, platforms like MadeInNaija fair and Lagos Leather Fair provide periodic promotion opportunities. However, there is a need for more consistent channels of distribution that have templates like American and European footwear retail giants e.g. DSW and Footlocker to assist with pushing sales of the product. While the challenges are daunting, they are also opportunities for investors and innovators to develop solutions out of the norm and open up the market further. The government s role cannot be slighted but private bodies may be able to proffer quicker solutions. To every owner of a Proudly Made In Nigeria pair of shoes: thank you for the appreciation of the hard work that goes into your lovingly handcrafted (pun intended, there are no machines) footwear. We hope they take your feet to beautiful places. 28

31 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Organizations that invest in Fashion Businesses Do you have a business idea or are already doing something in the fashion industry but you need funding, education or exposure? We ve curated organizations that empower fashion entrepreneurs. By Ayandola Ayanleke Knowledge is power, information rules the world. That fashion idea you have can come to fruition. You don t have to close down your troubled fashion business when you can get help. There is hope for you yet. There are organizations that are ready to support you in different ways to set you on your journey to greatness. African Fashion Fund: It is an organization that has created a platform to empower African fashion designers by providing them with educational opportunities and connecting them with industry leaders to help boost their success and helps them achieve that global exposure they seek. They have an incubator program that runs for 6 to 14 months where designers are mentored and even awarded grants for a successful completion of the program. For more information, visit their website at Bank of Industry Fashion Fund: The BOI Fashion Fund is a special fund geared towards developing small and medium fashion businesses. The bank, the bank seeks to cater to businesses in the fashion industry through this platform. The fund will support skill acquisition as well as financial support. To qualify to apply, the business must be a limited liability owned by a Nigerian with strong and reliable monthly net cash flows that can support monthly loan repayment at ratio 3 to 1 (i.e. net cash flow to loan principal repayment) a referral letter from a recognized Organized Private Sector (OPS) body, guild or association such as the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN). To apply, visit boi.ng/apply/ and to get more information, visit boi.ng/fashionfund/. African Development Bank: The African Development Bank is primarily a regional, multilateral development bank tasked with promoting the economic development of member countries. As part of their initiative, the bank established Fashionomics. Fashionomics is a platform with a mission to develop African fashion industry as a way of creating jobs to curb unemployment. Send a mail to fashionomicsafrica@ gmail.com for inquiries or visit for more information. GTB Fashion Weekend: The GTB Fashion Weekend is an event that does not only draw fashion designers and enthusiast from around the world but also expose local fashion businesses in the industry. The event is largely consumer-based, so it is like a fair where designers showcase their wares and enthusiast can purchase. Registration is done to get to attend as a retailer and over 130 small and medium retailers will be given free stalls to showcase their products. To find out more, visit Sometimes, the right opportunity is closer than we think; we just need the right information. Now that you have gotten the information, it is time to take action and create that business that should not remain a dream. African Fashion Development and Empowerment Centre: AFDEC is a non-profit organization established to empower women and girls who are creative. The organization celebrates local arts, craft, and design to improve the life of the beneficiary and the economy at large. This is done through skills training, mentoring and providing a support system. Visit their website at or visit them at Plot 20, MKO Abiola Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, , Lagos, for more information. Share with a fashion entrepreneur you think will need this information. 29

32 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Fashion MAiN: Fashion Brands to watch By Simisola Oladigbo With the recent recurring theme on diversifying the economy and buying Nigeria to grow the Naira, many entrepreneurial endeavours have sprung up among young people. One industry that has particularly experienced this growth is the Fashion industry as many Nigerian are leveraging on the public recognition of the uniqueness of African fashion. Certain Nigerian brands have become industry names in the continent and even, globally. And even many more are making waves and are very likely to break grounds in the industry. They are indeed fashion brands to watch out for. Adire Lounge by Cynthia Tule-Okochu Adire Lounge is a hand dyed textile company that creates unique designs using the aged long skill known as Adire on non conventional fabrics like Silk, Chiffon, T-Shirts, Scarves, and Cotton Fabrics. Adire Lounge also make customized designs for fashion,interior designers and also corporate organisations. We are also training youths and women in the art of Adire making, thereby preserving culture and traditions, the rich heritage and textile making skills of Africa, thereby curbing unemployment and creating Employment for the women and Youth. - info@adirelounge.com.ng GAVO Casuals by Gift Oshiobor GAVO CASUALS is an upcoming fashion brand, targeted at producing classy, comfortable and affordable clothing, ranging from casuals, corporate wears, and ready to wear for female kids and adults. Designs at GAVO CASUALS are influenced by a desire to help women build their self-esteem and unique personalities with good clothing and style. We are keen at sourcing good fabrics and emphatic on neatly finished clothes, so customers are sure to expect superb and long lasting clothing without having to break the bank. GAVO CASUALS adds class to style. Contact: , Efe_shantel@yahoo.com 30

33 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Hamster & Co by Olushola Ogunyemi Hamster & Co is an exciting and innovative Children s Clothing brand aimed at providing comfortable, stylish and affordable pieces which are all produced in Nigeria. We believe the journey through childhood should be colourful, filled with prints and character so we factor that in our designs. We recognized that there was a gap for quality, affordable and stylish clothing for children in Nigeria and invested creative energy on bridging the gap. Since our early beginnings in 2017, we have gone above and beyond in providing reasonably priced quality clothing to kids in different homes across Nigeria and beyond. Melia by Jade by Jadesole Rawa Melia by Jade is a clothing brand established out of love...love for art, for culture, for clothes, for all things beautiful. We are passionate about mixing art with wearability, making every woman see the fun, sexy, chic side of herself. With the use of hand-dyed Adire, Batik, Tie-Dye, Kampala, the brand offers a mixture of old vintage art with modern functional pieces that appeal to the contemporary woman. Contact: Jade@meliabyjade.com Phone Hey@hamsterandco.com Instagram Mandy Rachael by Okhueleigbe Mandy Rachael Mandy Rachael Designs is a socially conscious ethical fashion brand that creates uniquely designed handmade shoes and bags with leather and fabric and also gives back to support the education of less privileged kids with every purchase. Mandy Rachael Designs works with pure leather but not exotic skins, vegan leather and fabrics to create her unique pieces. Contact: mandyrachael@yahoo.com Instagram Afrogarde by Chinenye Ilondu Afrogarde is a ready-to-wear clothing brand which makes conversation starter pieces for women. Our clothes are handmade with love in Nigeria by women for women. Afrogarde s design core is centered on bold patterns and colourful African inspired prints which represent our tribal heritage as African women both at home and in the diaspora. Our clothes instill confidence, class and comfort in our tribe of Afrogarde women. Phone: afrogarde@gmail.com 31

34 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Ollie Corban by Oluwabusayo Bolaji Established in 2017, Ollie Corban is a Premium Footwear Brand with stylish, fashionable and sophisticated products. The brand is synonymous with supreme craftsmanship and distinctive designs. Specialising in footwear for Men and Women, the brand continues to provide the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. Over the year Ollie Corban has been built into a thriving footwear business whose products are conscientiously handcrafted using authentic leather sourced locally and internationally. Phone: busayo@olliecorban.xyz Pearl Deven Couture by Eghosa Sheila Ogbebor Pearl Deven Couture is a women wear luxury brand with presence in Ghana, where the Creative Director studied and in Nigeria. The company designs detailed and intricate pieces ranging from evening wears to bridals. Pearl Deven believes that being stylish and being comfortable are not mutually exclusive. Pearl women are a picture of gorgeousness and comfort. Phone Number: pearldevencouture@gmail.com Facebook: Pearl Deven Couture Fab on feet by Omobolanle Tubi Fab on Feet is a made in Nigeria footwear brand focused on creating fun and comfortable, quality leather shoes for men and women. The shoe brand which started in 2016 is the brainchild of Omobolanle Tubi who since childhood had dreamt of building a quality leather shoe manufacturing company that will one day be at par with international brands. The brand can be easily identified through its love for combining colours no matter the gender. Contacts Phone Number: fabonfeet@gmail.com Instagram and Siaz Couture by Imoukhuede Akhigbe Siaz Couture is a contemporary bespoke fashion design company based in the Federal Capital Territory. The company uses high end yet affordable fabrics and an innovative and unique mode of design and production of bespoke outfits that don t cost a fortune. In less than two years of operation in Abuja, Siaz has carved a niche as one of the most trusted, reasonably priced and creative menswear designer for men who love classic looks. They also deliver nationwide. With their wide range of bespoke kaftans, agbadas and suits, the company is definitely one to watch out for. Contact: 32

35 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Start Up The Business of Fashion It is possible to get your fashion business right the first time without falling into the same pitfalls those ahead fell into. By Wonuola Okoye I am going to change the fashion business narrative in Africa. I know it s a bold and audacious statement, but at Big Startup, we THINK BIG and start small. There is an underlying narrative that says fashion is for hobbyists and isn t a real business. Well, let me give you some stats (Let s have these three examples in individual pop-up boxes) Zara is a Spanish fast fashion retailer. It is the main brand under the Inditex group, the world s largest apparel retailer. Zara has more than 2200 stores in 96 countries and in 2017 started to manage approximately 20 apparel collections annually!! The company has grown overall sales by about 50% in five years to $17.5 billion. To change the fashion narrative in Nigeria, we need to start seeing fashion as a business. LVMH is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate which was formed in 1987 under a merger between Louis Vuitton and Moet Hennessy; a mix of fashion & leather goods, perfumes & cosmetics, wines, and spirits. It controls around 60 subsidiaries that each manages a small number of prestigious brands and operates over 2,400 stores worldwide. In January 2018, LVMH announced record sales of 42.6 billion Euros for In the same year, the net profit increased by 29%. Hermès International is a French high fashion luxury goods manufacturer established in It specializes in leather, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready to wear. Known for its luxury goods by 2008, Hermès had 14 product divisions that encompassed leather, scarves, ties, men s and women s wear, perfume, watches, stationery, footwear, gloves, enamelware, decorative arts, tableware, and jewelry. In February 2015, Hermès announced an increase of its turnover of 9.7%, which represents more than $4 billion in sales. The difference between these brands and yours is quite simply, YOU. Are you daring to dream big? Are you treating your fashion business as a hobby? Have you put the right structures in place to ensure that your business is sustainable? Or are you releasing one collection every 2 years and expecting your brand to go global? These are some hard questions you need to answer. So how do we change the fashion narrative in Nigeria? We need to start by seeing fashion as a business. In my book The Startup Star I talked about 6 important things you need to do to get your business right the first time. 1 - BRAND IDENTITY This is everything from the name of your brand to the logo. From your use of colors and fonts to how you communicate your brand. Your brand identity is the first thing people interact with, whether it s something 33

36 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve overtly tangible like your logo to the more subtle things like your tone and color scheme. Your brand identity should be an extension of your brand and should give insight into what your mission, vision and overall business direction is. 2 - LEGAL STRUCTURE The structure of your business is important for a few reasons - Tax, liabilities and being able to operate legally as a business entity. There are a few options to consider depending on the nature of your business. Whether you want to be registered as a business name or an NGO, you ll need to understand how to stay on the right side of the law. 3 - BUSINESS MODEL Simply put, your business model is how your brand makes money. It is a snapshot of your business and comprises of 9 main blocks - Key partners, Key activities, key resources, Value proposition, Customer Relationships, Channels, Customer segment, Cost structures, and Revenue Streams. Looking into each of these aspects of your business will give you a better understanding of your customers, your unique selling point, the resources you need to deliver value and whether your business can generate enough revenue from your target market. The key is to go out and test your products and services with your target market in order to determine its viability. 4 - GOALS AND OBJECTIVES I m sure you ve heard the saying if you fail to plan, you plan to fail - truer words have never been spoken when it comes to building a successful business. You need to create short, medium and long-term goals for your business or project. The key is to make sure they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound). At the beginning of the year, you need to set goals based on your business strategy, direction and values then review at the end of the year to see how well you have done. Businesses that set goals have a better chance of achieving success. 5 - FINANCIAL POSITION The numbers may not be all but they are surely the end all. I believe that businesses should make a profit from the moment they start (I don t mean break even, I mean being cash flow positive). One of the ways to do this is using the profit first method (Read more on mikemotorbike.com). Being on top of your financial position is very important and you can do this by keeping good records, pricing your products and services correctly, reviewing your progress frequently, etc. 6 - MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION Once you have your brand identity right, you then need to communicate and promote it. With the advent of social media, we are closer to our customers than ever before. We do not need to expend our entire budget on promotions as there are many more cost-effective ways to do it. Knowing who your customers are and where to find them is the first step, the second is communicating clearly and concisely in a language they understand. New techniques like influencer marketing and sponsored adverts are a great place to start. Fashion entrepreneurs can build brands with strong identities. Brands that know who their customers are and are meeting their needs. Brands that are creating a seamless shopping experience, brands that are investor ready and are generating the sales of their dreams. They need to start by seeing fashion as a valid business, then taking the bold steps towards achieving it. 34

37 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Intune With Ethnik by Tunde Owolabi The African continent is extraordinarily rich in creativity, materials, and ideas that are sources of inspiration and nourishment for us. When applied to design, they engender products which exude tradition and modernity, innovation and history, form and beauty. Patricia Moroso. We are responsible for how our stories are told. We can either choose to tell it how it should be and let the world be aware of who we are or let it be a one-sided story of what they perceive it to be. At Ethnik, we tell our story through our fabric design, one weave at a time, into societal history. The African culture is rich, diverse and vibrant in colors and style. It makes it easy for us to live by the tagline - Inspired by Culture. By Tunde Owolabi The African culture is rich, diverse and vibrant in colors and style. It makes it easy for us to live by the tagline - Inspired by Culture. The Ethnik white Doro bag. I remember during a certain military era, when almost every govt parastatal went on strike, this included the water corporation, we had to depend on a neighbor s well for water. The old woman who owned the well had a Doro made with a white paint bucket. We all liked to use it because of the size, how well made it is and the fact that it was white. She liked it so much she will say to us if you throw my Doro into the well, I will make you go into it to fetch it back for me. Fast forward to years later, that old woman s Doro is inspiring the shape of a fashion item which is our new bag. It s amazing how every experience in life teaches and inspire us. It s true what they say about the value of experience and life lessons. LOVE THE PROCESS. Asooke weaver from Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. Most of the weavers especially in the south-west have similarities in process. They all weave in a horizontal manner but what differentiates Ilorin people from the Iseyin people is the size of their looms. The width of their fabric is wider than that of the Iseyin people but shorter in length. At Ethnik, part of our vision is to explore different weaving techniques and build a sustainable brand, working with these local weavers. We also want to see the art of weaving continue to grow through by encouraging the weavers to continually weave and pass on the knowledge to their children and younger ones. This is inspired by the most important women in my life. They push me to places I never imagined I could go. This is my support system. Abeke means: WE BEGGED TO CARE FOR HER. This bag is made with handwoven fabric Aso Oke combined with premium vegtan black textured leather. The African continent is extraordinarily rich in creativity, materials, and ideas that are sources of inspiration and nourishment for us. 35

38 The Spark Ignite/Connect/Achieve Brand Spark Nedoux Sews Vs The Fashion Faculty With the influx of people into the entrepreneurial space, the keys to success include standing out by doing something different from the norm and embedding social impact into the fabric of your business. In this edition of BrandSpark, we are excited to feature two young brands in the fashion industry with a unique approach to everyday issues. By Damilola Oyewusi One of the best-known hashtags on Nigerian Twitter and other Social Media platforms is Nigerian Tailors. The memes and jokes are all at once funny and disappointing as disgruntled customers bemoan their fate in the hands of an incompetent tailor. Yet, even with more entrants by the day in the fashion industry, proper education and standards are hardly a part of the conversation. This makes the work being done by Nedoux Sews and The Fashion Faculty highly interesting and impressive. The Fashion Faculty The Fashion Faculty has a unique focus to educate and help fashion entrepreneurs launch profitable companies by teaching them the business side of fashion in addition to teaching fashion design. Nedoux Sewing Club A networking club for tailors to sew, eat, swap ideas and sometimes, give back to society, Nedoux Sewing Club is a hybrid of a tailoring training school and a social club. The club holds one-day practical sewing workshops each month, designed to introduce absolute beginners to the sewing craft in a fun and engaging way. The lessons are demystified and simple enough for participants to finish a dress by the end of the class. Deftly tagged, Sewcializing, participants get the opportunity to Sew- Create -Network and Eat. In addition to learning and socializing, the club also organizes periodic group sewing activities to make clothes for orphanage homes and other charities. Nedoux sewing club is run by Nedu Ahanonu, a trained dressmaker with formal training in Finance and Economics. In addition to the monthly events, she runs a YouTube channel with a flagship show named Stitched where she shares simple tailoring skills and hacks. The club has held 27 monthly sewing workshops so far and trained nearly 400 people till date. The primary target audience is the 9-5 employee with a dream of starting and building a thriving fashion business. With an understanding that success in the industry is a combination of design skills and good business acumen, the brain behind the brand - Oyin Adekogbe uses both digital and offline platforms to reach aspiring fashionpreneurs with the training required to set up a basic structure for their startups. The Fashion Faculty also offers business consulting services and is scheduled to host their first fashion online conference in October, where thriving successful Fashion Entrepreneurs will teach, motivate and mentor aspiring and budding Fashion Entrepreneurs. Both brands show a depth of promise in the approach they have taken to make an impact in the fashion industry. They have also found a balance between the online and offline training mix, giving participants an opportunity to experience the practical aspect of design while getting sustained training through the process via digital platforms. You can reach them on Instagram 36

39 What Next? The Spark Connect Get Empowered Apply now and stand a chance to be empowered with cash grants, Mentorship and more. Visit thesparkng.com/connect to get started. > Pro Bono Have legal questions concerning your business? Visit thesparkng.com/probono to ask now. Vital Signs Have questions related to mental health? Visit thesparkng.com/vital-signs to ask now. FreestyleX FreestyleX gives you an opportunity to showcase your heart and art in our monthly exhibition. Send in your art works (videos, audios, poems, paintings, etc) and get published on our website. Visit thesparkng.com/freestyle to submit your work of art. Submissions are then screened and the artists invited for the event. BrandSpark Participate in our monthly BrandSpark poll and tell us what you think about brands. Follow us on social media - - to participate. Profiles Are you an entrepreneur doing something positive? Let us profile you. Send an to info.com signifying your interest.

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