{L-R}
Amaka Osakwe - Maki Oh; Jennifer Obayunwana – Polo Luxury; Omoyemi Akerele –
Style House Files & LFDW; Reni Folawiyo – Alara and (Moderator) Lola
Ogunnaike – Presenter & Writer
WIE
Symposium - fashion, Retail panel
This
post took quite a while, something about it seemed unfinished but after careful
considering I thought better to post than save it for that 'appropriate time'. Good
information is always good anytime..my conclusion.
During
W:IE symposium last month, I had the privileged of listening to some of the
leading women in Nigeria fashion industry - quite an enlightening panel they
were. They discussed fashion - the creative and business aspect & Retail -
the marketing, advertising and publicity aspect of it.
These
women;
Reni
Folawiyo - Founder, Alara
Amaka
Osakwe - Designer & Founder, Maki Oh
Jennifer
Obayunwana - Executive Director, Polo Luxury
Omoyemi
Akerele - Founder, StyleHouseFiles & LFDW
Moderator:
Lola Ogunnaike
Share some
fascinating points...
Reni
Folawiyo on ALARA:
Alara
will be about everything real -
heritage, tradition, in relation to today. It will also be a platform to
celebrate our lifestyle, who we are, how we are...celebrating culture and what
we feel they (people here) want to buy.
Omoyemi
Akerele on LFDW:
Lfdw
is not about the publicity, it's about positioning brands and the idea of
fashion - "what goes on behind the wall". Some feel fashion is for the elitist, it's
not - often. That's the idea LFDW is trying to share, the idea to let people,
sponsors understand fashion is more than parties and all the fancy nature
around it.
Moderator:
asks about the relationship between the government & the fashion industry -
how to promote fashion or bring art
initiative alive?
Omoyemi & Reni: They'll make life much easier if they support, also they can help with infrastructure - it's one main issue that's yet to be resolved. So for us to gain that good standard the government needs to support with labour, infrastructure and more.
