Bebe Akinboade
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Designers have been told to stay united. This was the position of several faculties at the International Fashion Academy, Lagos, which took place recently at the Pan African University, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The different facilitators who lectured on varying topics from fashion business, Export, Access to funding, designing for global appeal and so on, all said Nigerian designers would fare better if they came together under the umbrella of cooperatives or trade associations.

The call was first made by Dr. Eke Uka, who represented the Bank of Industry in his presentation on “Funding Opportunities under the Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) Scheme of the bank. Explaining the various funding options available and their requirements, he urged the designers to form a cooperative for easier eligibility, as it may be hard for individual designers to provide the needed security.

This call was reinforced when Mrs. Evelyn Obidike, an assistant director at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Coordinator of the Women in Export Programme, spoke on Export for Beginners. While taking participants through the processes for export, she appealed to the designers to form cooperatives or consortiums.

International designer, Ituen Bassey, who coordinated the technical classes on “Designing with Global Appeal”, as well as, “Styling Your Collection”; “Closing the Deal with the Buyer”, also asked designers to consider teamwork for cost effective production processes. She added that younger designers should consider internship under more established designers to hone their skills. The plea for unity re-echoed in the class on Fashion Business Strategy anchored by Kayode Omoregie.

The designers were exposed to information designed to enable them start on the ladder to global business at the international fashion academy organized by International Style Week Limited (ISW), in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BOI), and the School of Media and Communication of the Pan African University.

The event, which held at the Pan African University’s Victoria Island premises, ran from July 29 – 31, 2010. It attracted more than 50 budding and established designers in the area of clothing, jewellery and leather accessories.
Topics treated at the workshop included a wide range of areas relevant to the industry including crafting a Fashion Business Strategy; Funding Options Under the Cotton, Textile and Garment Scheme of the Bank of Industry, and Export for Beginners, facilitated by the Nigeria export promotion council.

Others were Accounting, Brand Building; Writing a Business Plan and Designing with Global Appeal; Styling your Collections, Closing Deals, Understanding the Fashion Media, and the PESTEL ANALYSIS.

The three-day event was packed with useful information and the facilitators all proved to be well versed and fascinating in the facts that they revealed.

Making his opening remarks, Mr. Bassey Essien, Managing Director of ISW, said the academy was organized to provide solutions to questions and challenges in the textile and garment industry, and urged the participants to show high enthusiasm, seek knowledge, focus on networking and making alliances with other designers. He expressed thanks to Ms. Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director of the Bank of industry for the organization’s partnership and also to the School of Media and Communications for its support.

Ms. Grace Egbagbe, Chairman of ISW also asked the designers to show commitment to knowledge building and hard work, adding,” this is your time to grow.”

All the sessions were lively with the participants interacting with each other and the facilitators even as they made complaints about the challenges of their industry and proffered solutions in some cases.
After a short opening presentation on the Pan African University by Professor Emevwo Biakolo, the Dean of the School of Media and Communications, participants where taught to build a winning Fashion Business Strategy by Mr. Kayode Omoregie, an accountant. Participants were charged to understand their individual selves in order to craft a good strategy which would be mindful of the environment, flexible and be fuelled by vision.

Facilitators from the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) briefed the designers on the requirements for successful export, which amazingly, many of the designers did not know. Mrs. Obidike and Mr. Kayode Oyeyipo, from the council explained the processes and also revealed the council’s production units created to assist the fashion industry such as the Common Facility Centre in Aba that specializes in leather work and the AGOA Centre in Lagos for garment making.

On the second day of the academy, Mr. Essien gave participants an overview of the global fashion industry, comparing and contrasting the progress and workings of established markets such as Paris, Milan and London, to the emerging markets in the United Arab Emirates, Russia, India and South Africa.

Ms Ituen Bassey then settled down with the designers for the technical class on Designing with Global appeal. Leaning heavily on her experience as a designer after relocating to Nigeria, she empathized with Nigerian designers who have to be all things to every area of their business unlike their western counterparts who simply design and leave the production, publicity, marketing to the appropriate organs of their businesses.

She urged the designers to use standard processes, design aids such as good patterns, dummies and discipline to achieve results. Explaining some international industry requirements and illustrating with documents and other aids, she advised the designers to use resources available on the internet for research. She also suggested that they treat their staff well to prevent high turnover of tailors, a problem echoed by many of the participants.

Other helpful solutions provided by Ms. Bassey whose label is known for its treated Ankara dresses and accessories, include material management and conservation, innovation in shop floor displays, purposeful work with the fashion media and the need for clever styling of their events, shop displays and even their persons.

Beyond the technical industry details, participants learned how to build a successful brand and how to market their products. This class was facilitated by Ms. Olugbemi Fernandez who taught them several relevant details on branding, how to carve a niche for their products as well as the need for trademark registration amongst others.

In order to access funds, and position their companies properly, participants discovered that they needed to write business plans. They received help with this from Vivian Ani. In addition, they received tips on building their business from Mr.Essien who showed them how to use the PESTEL analysis.

Since no business is complete without proper accounting, Mr. Tunde Lawal explained basic accounting procedures, and relevant books or records in his class, “Managing Your Accounts.” The event was brought to a close after the class on “Understanding the Fashion media” by Dr. Austin Tam-George of the Pan African University.

Excited participants received their certificates at the end of the third day and they spoke glowingly about what they had learned and how it would impact their business.

ISW officials also took the opportunity to inform the designers on the upcoming programmes of the organization, including the first Fashion TV Party to be held in Lagos, Nigeria and produced by Fashion TV (FTV), the global fashion television network later this month. The party will be held in Lagos, while the first International Style Week event will come up in October 2010.

ISW’s strategic goal is to position Nigeria as an international fashion destination in the next three to five years, achieving quality ‘Made In Nigeria’ apparel products, while improving the standards in Nigeria’s budding fashion promotions and marketing industry, thus creating an export hub for West Africa.

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