Like every sector, the fashion industry is faced with a number of challenges and designers are looking for ways to cushion the impact of COVID-19. Soares Anthony is one designer who has looked outside the box and created better opportunities for himself, reports Yetunde Oladeinde.
SOARES Anthony is a designer and the creative director of Soares Anthony Clothing line. He recently added other accessories to his collection. For him exploring the sector to maximize his potential has always been his dream. He however noted that the past few months have been very turbulent because of the changes posed by the impact of COVID-19.
Rather than give up, Soares informed that the challenges in the sector actually inspired him to put in more efforts which he believes is what many should do to overcome the challenges in the economy…
Tough people and not tough times according Soares survive no matter the odds. He goes on to explain that: “COVID- 19 has really changed a lot of things in the sector and in the world. The odds are many and it will take a while before things begin to return to the way they used to be”.
To buttress his point, he takes you down memory lane sharing his experiences and his survival strategies “As a fashion designer, I had to keep on moving because I had big plans and all that inspired me to keep forging ahead and not relent”.
He continued; “So, all through the lockdown, I worked extremely hard and was optimistic. I was still creating designs and doing photo shoots from home. It also had its advantage because you had more time to be creative and it made it easy to churn out things that were outstanding”.
Happily he goes down memory lane to talk about his journey in the sector and the things that inspired him.
“It’s been a very long journey and I have experienced the good and the bad times. I must say that I went into fashion designing as a result of passion. I used to draw and sketch when I was younger. Then I love colours and was very creative.”
Even though his heart was in the creative sector from the onset, his parents actually had other plans for him. “My parents wanted me to be a Medical doctor but at the end of the day, I couldn’t gain admission to study Medicine. This was because my cut-off mark was low. So, I looked for an alternative and studied Building Construction. The truth is that I studied the Sciences to please my parents. However, deep down I knew that somehow I wasn’t getting the satisfaction that I wanted from the job”
Next, Soares takes you into life at that point and some of the things that helped to shape and transform his career to who has become today. “While in school, I went into modeling and I must say that this was where I discovered some of my hidden talents. It was a very interesting phase of my life and career. In a short while, I started getting modeling jobs and somehow this motivated me in so many ways. The most interesting part of it all is that I got to the peak of my modeling career before graduating from school.”
That was a remarkable turning point for young Soares. “After graduation, I made up my mind not to work for anybody but to be my own boss. I decided to make fashion designing a career and it has been a very worthwhile experience for me”.
One other thing that inspired Soares was his personal taste for unique items. “It usually wasn’t easy finding things that I liked on the shelf. Most times, I had to make do with a few things because I just couldn’t find designs that matched my taste. There was a particular day when I couldn’t find the kind of outfits that I wanted after going to six different boutiques. It was a very important event that I wanted to attend some years back and that practically made do a number of things for myself”.
That was the big push and it opened his eyes to the numerous opportunities in the sector. “I’m a very creative person and the experience I had with designers dressing people for red carpet events helped a lot, I stepped up, learnt how to cut and other basic things at Ade Bakare Couture. I hold him in high regard because he is humble and very supportive. My role models in the industry are Ade Bakare, Mudi and Mai Atafo who make bespoke outfits.
The young man who has been making classy outfits for men of style since 2012 tells you that he is passionate about his job and enjoys seeing people dress well. “Apart from making clothes during the Covid-19 lockdown last year, I decided to think outside the box and started the Soares male bag, shoes and slippers line. We showcased our collections online and it helped us to push our products out there because we started getting orders within and outside Nigeria.”
He added: “Shortly after the lockdown, our doors were open again and we went into production fully. Although the fashion industry has not resumed to it full capacity because we use to be busier than now, but I believe we will get there very soon.
Soares believes that the Nigerian fashion industry has grown greatly and is getting global recognition.” It is important for our designers to pay great attention to the finishing and the total packaging of the product. I strongly believe that good customer service and attention to detail makes our designs stand out.
On changes he would like to see in the sector, he said he would like the government to support the industry by creating enabling environment for people to work. “They also need to improve power supply and create better opportunities for people in the area of fabric production. Once the government can find better opportunities for people in the industry, there will be more job creation”.
On where he sees his brand five years from now, Soares said: “We hope to see Soares Anthony expand and investors come in. With that we can open more stores to reach out to more clients because our joy is in making everyone dress well and look good. We can therefore help give more people jobs thereby reducing the high rate of unemployment.”
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