Promoting Home-Made Fabrics

Stakeholders in the fashion and entertainment industry recently met at the National Theatre, Iganmu and Tinubu Square, all in Lagos, to showcase fashion and the nation’s heritage sites, using the catwalk style.
A United Kingdom (UK) based Nigerian fashion expert, entrepreneur and founder of the Africa Fashion Week, Ronke Ademiluyi, organised the catwalk between April 1 and April 2.
The catwalk featured beautiful designs in grand styles from more than 10 fashion designers from Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
Participants expressed delight at the magnitude of artistic creativity of the designers who transformed African prints to unique dress and stylish colourful footwear in African styles.
Appreciating the impact of the event on the nation’s socio-economic sector, the Lagos State Government said it would develop the fashion and entertainment sector.
The Acting Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, said, “Lagos is using tourism, hospitality and entertainment to boost its economy, promote culture and attain excellence.
“We have the edifice, the fashion professionals, in fact, we have what it takes to turn around the economy of Lagos State to an enviable status.’’
According to her, awakening the country’s cultural and creative sector will enhance Nigeria’s image in the international communities.
“I’ve been hearing about promotion of Nigerian culture in the UK, Paris and France, but we are proud to host it in Nigeria this time around.
“The country has experts that will bring out the best in entertainment and Lagos State is investing in building more theatres and renovating her artefacts.
“The state realises the economic strength in entertainment industry and that gives us encouragement to open up more entertainment centres and encourage artists,’’ she said.
Akinsola, therefore, encouraged the organisers to maintain the standard and keep the flag of entertainment flying by selling social and cultural edifice in the country to the outside world to promote the nation’s image.
The Acting General Manager, National Theatre, Iganmu, Mr Nkanta Ufot, said the management of the theatre would encourage the promotion of artists and the entertainment industry.
“Our interest is to encourage more artists to use our facilities in the promotion of our culture and entertainment.
“The London-Nigeria Fashion Week organisers should be commended for their choice to use the National Theatre, Iganmu, to promote the nation’s heritage globally,’’ he said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Ademiluyi, said Nigeria has the potential to become one of the biggest tourists’ destinations in Africa.
“If we do not promote what we have as our own heritage and culture, nobody will, and we have all it takes.
“Am sure some people in Lagos haven’t even been to Tinubu Square, it is an amazing place to go to now, and the National Theatre, Iganmu is an edifice that is worth coming down to look at.
“We all queue in front of Madame Tussauds, we queue in front of Isle Towers in Paris, it’s the same thing and we are even better off,’’ she observed.
She noted that the country, in a bid to boost tourism, would as well boost foreign exchange from the influx tourists to the country.
“Even tourism within the country would be improved by the time people know that there are things for them to see; it will also educate our children.
“We are using fashion as a tool to communicate this because fashion is something that resonates with everybody,’’ she said.
Similarly,  Aiki Odiawa, a promo-partner of Ademiluyi,  believes that Nigeria has the prospects to boost tourism through the promotion of cultural attires and heritage sites to the world.
“We realised that most of our historic monuments are going down and we need to sell it to the outside world to draw them into our country.
“Nigerian designers are very vibrant and unique; they have what it takes to turn the fashion industry to economic gain by attracting fashion traffic to the country,’’ she said.
She noted that when the Africa Fashion Week started in London with more than 50 designers, 40 of the designers were from Nigeria.
“So, the Nigerian fashion industry sets the pace, set the ball rolling and everyone follows; we are, however, looking at a balance of payment in terms of foreign exchange,’’ she said.
Odiawa said she was surprised to notice that personalities like Mrs Michelle Obama would wear African prints with pleasure but Africans would feel reluctant to wear the fabrics.
She said the Africa Fashion Week in Nigeria, entitled “The Iconic Catwalk Show’’, was aimed at boosting awareness on Nigeria’s prints, fashion, styles and iconic sites to the world.
“It will also bring massive international media exposure to the beauty of the Nigerian costumes and fabrics and more insight to heritage sites in Lagos State.
During the event, more than 10 fashion designers from Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe presented models that showcased their creativity in catwalks.
The highlights of the event included a cultural show by Lixi Cardow fashion designer, who showcased designs made from local fabrics — Ankara in various styles.
Participants at the event observe that Nigeria’s image can be projected better by using the fashion industry as a platform.
They, therefore, suggest that more of the fashion weeks can be organised at strategic fashion cities abroad to attract more investors.
Obute writes for News Agency of Nigeria.

Josephine Obute