STARTING UP AS AN ENTERPRENEUR: PERSONALITY

Day 4: Inspiring fashion designer Stylists are the ones who are entrusted to make their clients some of the best dressed and most talked about celebrities. However, most stylists work behind-the-scenes and out of the limelight, so we never hear about them. We therefore want to make you familiar with the people that bring all the beautiful spreads in fashion magazines, runway and of course celebrity looks! However, please know that this list is in no way numbered by hierarchy. Just learn from them and inspire yourself to make it as an entrepreneur. 1. Lisa Folawiyo Lisa Folawiyo is a self-made Nigerian fashion designer who is famous for the way she creatively fuses traditional West African fabrics with modern tailoring techniques. She is known for her label, Jewel by Lisa, which she launched in 2005, and has since grown to become a global fashion brand with showrooms in New York and Nigeria. Folawiyo uses Ankara, a traditional West African fabric, to create captivating and luxurious custom prints. She has her own fabric line that also produces accessories such as jewelry and purses. Line J Label, her diffusion line, showcases the best of Nigerian culture by incorporating Afropop with tasteful urban designs. Some of her celebrity fans include Beyonce, Kelis,Tasha Smith, and Eve. Aside from Nigeria, her collections have been showcased in the UK, US, and South Africa. She has participated in New York Fashion Week 2010 and Paris Fashion Week 2010. Some of her career achievements include winner of the African Fashion Award in 2012, and she was featured in Vogue Italia in 2012. In 2014, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) named Folawiyo among the eight emerging talents. In 2015, BOF500, a prestigious list of international brands, featured the designer among top fashion brands making an impact on the global scene. Lisa Folawiyo studied Law at the University of Nigeria, but decided to pursue her love of fashion. She admits her style is simplistic but innovative, and she also loves to play around with colors and mix prints. International media houses such as Style.com, Gotham, and Women’s Wear Daily have reviewed her. 2. Zizi Cardow Zizi Cardow has been instrumental in successfully showcasing the Nigerian fabric and culture on a global level. She launched her label, Zizi, which has seen her profile expand proudly, letting the world know how unique and elegant the Nigerian fabric is. She is credited with promoting the Ankara fabric, which has earned it global fame as the fabric is now being worn to red carpet events around the world. When she was young, Cardow hoped to become a forensic profiler, but after landing her first fashion job at only 17 in an Italian-owned boutique ignited her interest in fashion. Being a popular African fashion ambassador, her success has seen her designs featured in many international catwalk events in Cape Town, Milan, Paris, the USA, and other destinations worldwide. Her global revolution for the African fabric to be appreciated internationally has earned numerous awards, with the list being long and continuing to grow. In 2001, after only one year in the fashion industry, she bagged the Prestigious Designer of the Year Award at the Nigerian Fashion Show. With this award to her name, the world noticed her work, and her work was showcased on a global platform. In 2002, other awards knocked at her door. The DAME Award recognized her for her outstanding achievement in fashion, and also winning the St. Moritz Style Selection Award and Nigerian Women Awards. From 2002, she kept winning numerous awards successively year after year, raising her profile in the industry. Some of the other major accolades Cardow has achieved include the 2010 UN Peace Ambassador, 2010 Global Leadership Award, 2010 Young Achievers Award, 2010 Fashion and Style Award, 2010 Merit Award for African Heritage, 2009 Zenith Award for Excellence, and 2007 African Role Model Leadership Award, as well as many others. Her client base is vast, consisting of famous political figures and celebrities. She has also been featured by top international media houses such as CNN, SABC, Channel O, and FTV. Zizi Cardow has given back to society through numerous mentorship programs, which have, in turn, earned her awards. 3. Lola Faturoti Lola Faturoti is a Nigerian-born, New York-based fashion designer with extensive experience and renowned international repute. Faturoti, who hails from Ondo State, went on to school in London before moving to New York in the early 1990s. Her fashion journey began from childhood when she helped her grandmother, who was also a fashion designer. “I got interested in fashion because my grandmother was a designer. She designed Nigerian traditional clothes. That was my first introduction to fashion, which I hated because I wanted to be out playing instead of picking out seams!” Her inspiration is mainly drawn from her roots, and Faturoti rose to fame in New York when she made a dress to celebrate Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States. The dress had these bold Yoruba words, “Oluwa gba President Barack Obama,” which means, “God Bless President Barack Obama.” She confirms that her mother played a major role in defining her personal style. “My mom travelled a lot to London and New York. She bought me a lot of clothes, so I began to dress differently. I think that was the first introduction to me wanting to be different through clothing,” says Faturoti. While in New York, she was employed in the Charivari Boutique where president of the company, Barbara Weiser, noticed her potential and passion for unique fashion and helped her launch her first fashion collection. Her passion for African fashion is profound. “Everything begins for me with the print and fabric, which usually has some shine,” exclaims Faturoti. Her deep African roots, as well as extensive global experience with having lived and worked in New York and Milan have been instrumental in her success and international spotlight. 4. Deola Sagoe Deola Sagoe is a renowned Nigerian fashion designer, entrepreneur and founder of The House of Deola Sagoe. Her unique approach of designing lively and colorful prints has earned her a global following including notable personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith, who have recognized her for her celebration of African prints. Having launched her career in 1989, Sagoe has a Masters Degree in Finance and Management and has studied at both University of Lagos and University of Miami. She is a woman with many layers and this is reflected in her multilayered designs. Her signature designs, Attitude and Elegance, draw their inspiration from fabrics with a traditional Nigerian touch and western aesthetics. She designed the label, Odua, for her mom, who played a major role in popularizing her in the industry. Her recent works include hand-dyed Adire fabric, which is made by Yoruba women. Her reputation spans beyond the African continent, earning her fame and respect. Aside from showcasing her couture collection at Cape Town and New York Fashion Weeks, Deola won the MNET/Anglo Gold African Designs 2000 Award. United Nations World Food Program appointed her Nigeria’s ambassador to the program, “Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food.” This was aimed at raising funds to reduce, by half, the number of starving people in the world, especially children by 2015. Her three daughters, Teni, Tiwa, and Aba Sagoe, have taken after their mother and are owners of the popular CLAN fashion label. Sagoe believes the African fashion industry has come a long way and there’s still plenty of room for growth “Just in Africa, there is a huge market, without even going to Europe… and the US, there is a huge market there,” Sagoe states. 5. Toyin Lawani Toyin Lawani runs Tiannah’s Place Empire as the Creative Director and CEO. This Fashion stylist cum designer is an experienced as taken her TiannahStyling outfit to another level as she has styled a number of celebrities within Nigeria including Wizkid, Banky W, Niyola, Tiwa Savage, Don Jazzy, Dr Sid, Wande Coal, D’Prince, Davido, Terry G, Mercy Johnson, Eldee, Emma Nyra, Juliet Ibrahim, TY Bello, Toni Tones, Waje, Stephanie Okereke Linus, G-Lory, Sean Tizzle, May D, Funke Akindele, Lami Philips, Samklef, Tee Blaq, Dammy Krane, Pasuma, Oreka Goddis, Toke Makinwa, Layole Oyatogun, Susan Peters, Jimmie of Beat FM, Yvonne Vixen Ekwere, Tipsy, Morrel, Tonto Dikeh, Seyi Shay, Mo’chedda, Vector, Sharon Ojong, LAX, Yinka Davies, Jackie Appiah, Nse Ikpe, Yvonne Nelson, Ini Edoand many others. Internationally, Ms Lawani has designed outfits for Hollywood celebrities including Singer Kelly Roland from Destiny’s Child, Bria Myles, Jennifer Richardson, and Natalie Nunn. She has also worked on a vast number of top Magazine Editorials. Ms Toyin Lawani has also Creatively Directed and Coordinated the Mademoiselle Aglaia Fashion Show 2012 and the Fab Magazine 2012 Awards both in Lagos, Nigeria. Working on a video shoot? Ms Lawani is your girl!