Category: Entertainment

Helen Apreala, one of Nigeria’s fast rising fashion stars and on air personality in this interview with Adetorera Idowu, speaks about her life as a fashion designer, challenges and expectation for the J autumn fashion show coming up on the 1^st of November 2013

Tell us about yourself?

I’m 28yrs old and from Amassoma, Bayelsa state. I’m the last of four children.

What’s your educational background?

I have a Bsc. In Business Administration (Management) from Niger Delta University, A Post Graduate Diploma in Management and an MBA in Marketing from Ladoke Akintola University, A Diploma in Fashion Design at Istituto Di Moda Burgo, Milan and currently studying for Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM),  as an Associate Member.

What are your general professional and non-professional interests?

I Love Fashion, that’s all I think about, I’m also an On-Air personality, I have a show called ‘Fashion Friday with Helen Apreala on Royal FM 95.5’. The only Fashion show on Radio across the Niger Delta States, I truly Love inspiring people through that medium. I was an actress for 3 weeks, had a lead role in a very meaningful project, it was nice, I Love photography, and lately I’m crazy about abstract photos and every photography done in Black and white, Paintings, music, books, movies and graphics…. I Love to cook and find or do anything that makes me laugh.

What does fashion mean to you and when did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?

Fashion is everything, all I want to be is a designer and fashion is all I ever want to do. It’s like breathing. I realised quite young that I wanted to be a designer; I think I was about 9yrs old. But then I didn’t understand who a fashion designer was.  Growing up in a polygamous home is mostly tough, for those who have experienced it. I suffered depression most part of my childhood, but I remember always being less sad at my neighbour’s house, who was a dress maker. I saw how happy the women were after picking up their clothes, the same clothes, She cut in pieces and sewed together to make something beautiful… I saw how happy every lady was and for every smile, I smiled back and for that moment I wasn’t sad or depressed, and I said to myself I want to be a dress maker too. I want to make women happy, cos that makes me happy too.

Was there anyone in your family who inspired you to design?

Not really, my dad was a Style Legend “RIP” He always wore a clean suit and had a comb for his hair in his suit jacket. You could say designing came naturally for me, I was drawing photos of my mum just for fun, while growing up, but trust Nigerian parents, they didn’t realise I got talent..One could say I’m naturally artistic, Credits to my Dad!

So at what point did you reach international status? 

That will be when I was studying fashion in Milan, working on different fashion shows over the years, during Milan Fashion Week, being part of some of the biggest fashion events in Milan, and showcasing my own designs during Milan Fashion week.

What was the journey like?

Not easy at all…. But fun, crazy, exciting, adventurous and educational. I experienced alot studying and living in Milan, being in a foreign place, having a different skin colour, not understanding the language most of the time, making new friends. Setting goals to graduate top in my class and working really hard to achieve a perfect grade. Facing some racism situations but standing up and fighting for my rights, working really hard and cutting across the barriers of race, culture, skin color and finally being recognized as a fashion designer in my own right by designers well respected in the Fashion world. That was a crazy journey.

Who are your major clients?

They are mostly women who are political appointees, wives of political appointees and directors of companies. I’ve dressed a couple of celebrities here and there, like Halima Abubarka, The amazing Nollywood actress and Tewa Onasanya, The Publisher of Exquisite Magazine. But I do that only on referals and for friends who ask.

How did you get on the radar screen of J model management to earn your invitation to this grand event?

I guess because, I’m good at what I do. I’ve worked internationally and nationally on Nigerian Fashion week. I’ve worked with big Brands and I’ve gained recognition in the Fashion world in Milan. If you ask someone like “Marko Lorenzi” the amazing international Shoe designer of the GeanMarko Lorenzi brand, he’ll tell you – that Crazy African Designer? I’m waiting to work with her again. Ask Elona Santoni, of Santoni Shoes, and she’ll tell you,  we had Lunch at her Private Showroom. Ask Doriano Mapucci and he’ll tell you, I’m the most amazing African Designer he’s ever met…. the list goes on. So it’s was only a matter of time before J Model Management invited me based on my works.  But seriously though, I’m very humbled by their invitation. J Model Management organises some of the most amazing shows, at the most amazing venues in the world. This is something I want to be a part of, experience as a designer. Fashion is changing and evolving, and the ways fashion shows are viewed is too. I’m just privileged to be part of that change right now.

How long have you worked as a designer?

The best part of my life to be honest, but I started professionally in 2009. I was working, studying, freelancing and just doing everything fashion related to stay connected and gain all the experience I need to grow as a designer and as a person.

What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?

I can’t even remember. I always designed what I wanted to wear and I designed for my family as well. A dress I wore to a friend’s wedding, I’ll say was the beginning of a deeper relationship with fashion. I’ll say my first major design was a short leather dress with fur sleeves on the side. That dress was so good, that 3 years later, it was redesigned by a major brand and worn by Estelle, the British artiste.

How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?

Usually it takes a couple of days or weeks, depending on the style and the deadline, I could pretty much finish in a day, but I don’t play with my Haute Couture pieces. I spend months making a dress.  I put attention to details because I believe the detail is everything in an haute couture piece. I make everything by hand and I work until I’m satisfied with the work. For me, the customer has to be extremely satisfied, only then is my work done.

Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing?

I feel the Fabric, I tap into that which makes me Love to design, I find a story I want to tell, and then I open my mind and let the fabric and the story direct me on what to design. But I always look at the shape and body type of my customer. That’s the only way I know what story I want to tell with her body. Then I put all my ideas on paper, make a pattern, cut the pattern, and start sewing on a plain fabric. Then, I do some testing and fitting and adjust on the pattern. As soon as I have everypart of her body responding to the dress, I start cutting and sewing on the main fabric.

What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?

Studying in Milan, working in several fashion shows around the world’s major fashion cities, showcasing in Milan, participating in Nigerian fashion week, being recognized by the Bayelsa state government, being part of J autumn fashion show at the grand canyon, Colorado, USA, having models wear my dress from 4000ft and look like they are walking in the sky. More life changing was meeting my mentor, the legendary Georgio Armani, having dinner side by side with that man, and feeling like yes! I have arrived. Talking to him and having him mentor me to greatness, hearing him say he sees so much of his young self in me was extraordinary, with that I can retire but then how about all these other amazing designers and brands I’m associated with, and more that I freelanced for. I have also associated with great brands like; Santoni shoes, Geanmarko Lorenzi, Roccobarroco, Frankie Morello, Anna Capasa of CNC National, Doriano Mapucci aka godfather of Italian male handmade shoes and more….

Who are some of your favourite designers?

I’m not sure I have a favourite designer. I’m more about their brands; I can pick many of my favourite brands, because of their history, designs and style. But my top five designers would be The Late Coco Chanel, Late Alexander Mcqueen, Georgio Armani, Vera Wang and Galliano.

What are the major challenges designers in Nigeria face and how easy/difficult is it to leap-frog to international status?

Challenges are productivity, originality and the ability to be versatile. If you want international status you have to work for it, and start now, but you must first want it, not forgetting why you want it, if you need it and what you intend to do withit when you have it. The challenges will be mentality, changing the mentality and psychology completely, being open minded, letting yourself be inspired and be creative, think outside the box. You’ll be amazed at how difficult it is for people to think outside of the box and get out of their comfort zone. But the most difficulty is the financing for international status. Shows are expensive, schools are expensive and life there is expensive. The easy way out is to stay back home in Nigeria. For me, I’m Proudly Bayelsan. Make quality, international standard clothes, mix prints with some international flavour, and make this an International play ground for International designers. Having their International status rob off on you and leaps you to international status, just by being true to yourself.

Is the Nigerian environment clement for the actualization of those dreams?

Yes! Yes! Yes! A Nigerian man is an all weather man, we are called ‘The Giant of Africa’ for very good reason, we are simply innovative and talented, we can create something out of nothing. All we need to do as a people is dream big, and work hard. We love good things, we want good things, and we can surely actualize it if we put our minds, body and soul to it.

How do you prepare for a fashion shoot or show?

Fashion for me is all about a vision. Photo shoots and shows are like a play-out of my script. Mostly before I design I like to go quiet for a while, I call it being in ‘the Dark room’ I get into a deep state of depression and my best works and stories come out from my pain. I design to come out of that state of depression, focusing only on the smiles I can get from the women that wear the dresses, so I design beautiful dresses, worth a million smiles, and everything else just becomes joyful there on.

And how are you preparing for the J autumn fashion show?

I have a story to tell, a statement to make. I’m practically going to be playing out story of the struggles of the Niger Delta people through my designs and colours. If you are artistic, when you see the collection you will literally feel the pain and sorrow of lost innocent lives and the restoration they have gained today. You would see the joy, peace and transformation of the Niger Delta people today and their hope for a better tomorrow. I’m working really hard to make a statement and represent Nigeria in the right light. Through my design, I will be describing to the world, who we are and our ability to adapt to difficult situations and grow irrespective.

Are you married?

I’m single in the worldly sense but i’m married to God

 Is there anyone on the horizon?

I see potentials, marriage is just something you completely trust God on, I can’t choose. I just ‘Let God’

What matters to you most as a fashion designer?

A happy customer.

Who inspires you the most in fashion? Anyone who stands out?

Victoria Beckham, amazing designer, wife, I believe a good mother.  She seems to have it mostly figured out, and still walking on a six inch heel. She inspires me to believe ‘It is possible to do it all and have it all”

How do you relax?

Sit in front of the TV, watch series and movies

What’s your personal fashion style?

I’m very chick retro and sometimes laid back

Where do you see yourself and the Helen Apreala brand in 5 years?

Headquarters in Nigeria, branch in Milan, New York, Paris, London and Moscow. Helen Apreala designs in big boutiques across Nigeria, Major African countries, and stores in over 10 countries. A successful online store and Helen Apreala stores in major cities in Nigeria…Bayelsa, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Cross River, Abuja, Benin and Kaduna.

What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?

If you want to touch the sky, you have to start climbing. Fashion has room for everyone; it’s about individuality, creativity, productivity and believing in your dreams and your goals. Never think of yourself as a designer, always put the woman, man or child you are designing for, first. Think of their happiness, not your freedom of creativity. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment because the best trends are sometimes mistakes. Love what you know, find your passion, don’t go into fashion for the money but for the difference and smiles you bring and your passion for fashion.

 

Today, residents of the prestigious 1004 estates in Victoria Island Lagos will be treated to an event experience tagged Play@1004. Put together by event and show promoters, Inspiro Productions, the event is expected to be a showcase of Jazz, Hip-hop, Soul, Afrobeat, poetry, spoken word, comedy, dance and lots more.

Acts expected to put up performances at the show include Ego, Agboola Sadare, Dapo Dina, Ebisan, Adepiper and the jungle bois, Lekkihood’s Finest, M-Gabriel, Obadice. Comperes are Mazino of Smooth 98.1fm and Yacoba of igrooveradio. DJs Lami and Ray Browne will also be on hand to dish out contemporary and classic songs.

According to Ayoola Sadare, CEO of Inspiro Productions, the event is supported by Smooth FM, Mansard Insurance, The Jazz Hole, NAIJAZZ music, Metro FM, Moxtra works and Configure.

 

He just won the Best Cinematography category award for his effort in Kunle Afolayan’s sitcom; ‘Phone Swap’. But that, to him, like his many other laurels, is not enough reason to roll out the drums. Remi Edwards, we gathered, may sell one of his kidneys to get the professional fulfilment he craves.

The filmmaker’s friends in the United Kingdom have said to him that selling his kidney is worth more, than to lose an admission at the National Film & Television School (NFTS), London. And he says he may just heed their advice, if it is the only leeway to further hone his skill.

Edwards, has just secured an admission in the touted best film school in the world, and has only up till November 1, 2013 to pay his tuition or forfeit the admission.

“For a while now, I have been trying to improve myself, so I applied to National Film& Television School (NFTS) in London. The school has produced Oscar-winning alumni such as animator Nick Park and Director, Michael Radford and has been voted the world’s best film school in an international poll of the major film training institutions around the globe,” said the dejected-looking filmmaker.

A very prestigious school in the UK; it admits only eight students, into each department, every year. Young Edwards, is not only lucky to be the only Nigerian, among the few chosen to do a course at NTFS, he is also perhaps the only African to have been admitted to study Cinematography in the school since its creation in 1971.

If Edward’s luck is further fostered, he will be doing his MA degree in that school. But being so far away from about £60, 000, being the course fee for the two-year programme, the fate of the Nigerian Film Institute graduate, appears to be hanging in the air. Who bails the celebrated filmmaker out?

Armed with his credentials, most of which include his show reel for celebrated films like Kunle Afolayan’s ‘The Figurine’, ‘Phone Swap’ and ‘October 1’, which is currently in the making, neither the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), under which he got his tutelage nor the Project ACT-Nollywood, the Federal Government film industry intervention fund has been able to help.

“Inasmuch as I am grateful to God for this opportunity, which came amazingly, I have been looking for a way to pay my school fees. I have been writing to corporate bodies. I am even in Jos now, talking to NFC. I applied for the Project ACT-Nollywood grant, but they said my application did not meet their criteria. The school also wrote to them, but they just congratulated me, saying they don’t sponsor a course that is more than nine months. They also said they don’t sponsor degree awarding programmes. But I replied, saying; if they want to raise the technical capacity in the film industry, this should be treated as an exception and that we cannot afford to miss this offer. This is something that the whole world clamours for. I know European countries are more organised, and any of their students who gets admission into such schools, are usually funded by their government, because the training that one gets by attending NFTS can completely change the ground.”

If there was anyone who had encouraged the filmmaker, that person is the new Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Emeka Mba, who has asked him to apply to the Commission for scholarship. According to Edwards; “the school fee is £24, 000 and I need about £10, 000 as upkeep, which I’m supposed to have in my account before applying for visa. They have said I could pay for my first year, and then pay for my second year in November 2014. The whole money came to about £60, 000, which is what I am looking for, for the two years.”

Edwards has just won the cinematography category of the Nollywood Movie Awards which held last Saturday, at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. “All the jobs that I have done speak for themselves. I want to be able to be more relevant, especially when people criticise the movie standard in Nigeria. We always talk of collaboration which is good, but we also need enough capable hands in-house. It is obvious that we don’t have enough technical capacity in Nigeria.” He said.

How did his colleagues react to the news of his admission? “When I told my friends in London that I got this admission, they screamed. Some of them even said if I have to sell a kidney to raise the money, I should do that.” Gazing in the air, he said: “Maybe I should just heed their advice. The school is highly competitive. And I’m going to be the first African ever to get their admission.”

NFTS receives 1,200 applications a year for 120 places. Its graduates have gone on to work on major commercial productions such as the Harry Potter films and television dramas including Downton Abbey. Courses are taught by leading professionals, including director Stephen Frears.

Edwards, is of the opinion that it would be a great idea if the Project ACT Nollywood can relax its policy, by seeing what benefit his admission will add to the capacity building which the project is targeting. If this does not happen, he hopes that philanthropic Nigerians can come to his aid.

Project ACT-Nollywood has a budget of N3 billion and is made of three components aimed at addressing inhibitors to further growth, which exist along the moviemaking value chain. Its objectives, according to promoters, include technical capacity building, film production, and distribution.

The fund is being managed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with other government agencies.