Socialite and fashion designer, Princess Cynthia Andrew runs Lagos upscale fashion home, Unlimited Sizes. The Edo state born mother of four who appears to have drastically slowed down from social engagements was once married to Prince Kola Adeyemi, scion of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. She tells ADETUTU AUDU why she now concentrates on her children and business.
What informs your sudden absence on the social scene?
I am a business woman, a fashion designer and I as you can see, my business is still, kicking. You know, you outgrow some kind of things. My kids are my priority for now. I am a single mum and the reason I am working is my kids. I have three of them in the university right now in the US…you know what that means. I think I have taken a bit of time to actually concentrate on my children. Although, there has never been a time I abandoned them or not have time for them because no matter what it is or how busy I am, my kids come first.
When I started this business when I came into this country sixteen years ago, I said to my God ‘just direct my steps’ and advertise me to the whole world and it has actually been so. I will say my physical appearance alone is a big advert for me. I am really not a party person and if you check, you will discover nobody knew me until about ten years ago because I have not been the outing type. But when I started my business, I did not have a choice because I am not only a fashion designer. Like I said, I am into event as well and most events I handle, I want to be present to perfect things but I have trained people to do it the same way I would do it because the time is not really there anymore. So, basically, my business takes me out.
How did you come about fashion designing?
Fashion to me is just something natural. I was never trained for this, I did not go to school for this, not even the measurement I was trained to do, so it’s a thing I love…I love looking good. I see people on the street and I say oh my God, she’s so beautiful, I wish I can dress her up, transform her. I just love to look good and see people look good so that is what made me go into this business.
What inspires your designs?
That is where I think I am different. I don’t sketch, I don’t sew and I don’t cut. All I do is to drop design. You rarely see me choose styles from the magazine except if you come and say this is what you want; I create my designs myself. So, it’s a blessing from God, and it’s a gift from God. Every blessed day, I come up with designs and my designs come spiritually like God drops them in my system. I could just be sleeping in the middle of the night and I get designs, I get up and begin to write the description of what I saw and put in practice the next day with my staff. Sometimes, I could come up with ten, fifty designs.
What was your childhood dream, since you did not set out to be a designer?
I did International Relations and Diplomacy, so it has nothing to do with fashion at all, but all I know is that I said I will never work for anybody and that is it.
Can you share your beauty routine with us?
When you have God’s favour, when you have his grace, there is nothing else you need and that is what has been keeping me. I don’t have medical issue that is taking me to hospital. My complexion, my size, my shape, all is to the glory of God. There is no particular thing I do to keep that. I am complete a woman. I don’t use any medicated stuff.
What prompted your relocation back to Nigeria?
As I told you, my children have always been my life. I had them in the US but while they were growing up I decided and made up my mind that when they got to particular ages I would bring them back to Nigeria to do part of their school here so they can know their culture and get a sense of belonging, which I did. I came into this country in 1999. I needed to make them come home to see what their country is like because there are lots of lost children out there and I tell you my children love Nigeria more than anywhere in the world. Any little holiday, they want to come and that’s what I wanted to achieve.
As a fashionable person, what dictates your dressing?
I don’t like things that are too revealing because you must be decent. I love to wear traditional outfit a lot and one thing you really can’t see me too often wear is trousers. I am not a trouser person but it’s not a problem… I wear but I am not really crazy about it. I have three colours and I always put these three colours together; yellow, orange and green.
You are pretty and also a princess, how easy was it for you settling down?
Well, I was quite young, but because I was not brought up in a wayward way, my growing up was smooth and traditional. I am from Edo State, Ishan, Uromi. I am from a royal home for that matter, so there are so many things we just can’t do; there are traditions we met. I am the first daughter in the family and I followed the foot step of my mother because she brought me up right. So, when it was time for me to settle down, though I was still in school, quite young back then, I did. Sure, a lot of people came around but we were taught and lectured from time that when you find your man, this is what it is and so on and that was exactly what I did, exactly what I followed.
Despite putting so much effort, how do you feel to be out of marriage?
Nobody wants to get married and be out of it. But as I always say, I will rather be out of a marriage to take care of my kids than to be in a marriage and die in there. That means a lot of things.
Despite all I went through, I had to stay to have all my kids because another name I did not want to have is here and there which I was never used to and I never did.
Although, a lot of people kind of have different impression about me I always tell people, don’t judge a book by its cover because I don’t think too many people know me. All they see is that flashy Princess Cynthia, gorgeous looking Princess Cynthia, head turning Princess Cynthia….it’s all good, I like to look good, I don’t have to look tattered to serve my God. Those who are close to me can talk about me. I know some people today, some of them refused to settle down and have kids just because they are beautiful. If you say you are gonna do this, do that because you are beautiful, that beauty is going to go or die some day and what do you become at the end? So, I give God the glory, I have never been that kind of person. I have always been able to control myself among the men and I don’t see what a man can actually offer me out there that I can’t actually achieve with hard work.
I thank God I have been able to stay focused and did not allow what anyone is saying to distract me from doing my business, serving my God and looking after my kids.