The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ejiro Amos Tafiri

  • Red-carpet fashion designers to watch in 2019

    NIGERIA has its share of talents in the ever-changing fashion industry. These are the clothing designers who dress the celebrities and influence red carpet fashion. These days, red carpet looks are marked by plunge shoulder- bearing pieces to wow mesh and ruffles numbers. The fact remains that the story of the fast-growing fashion industry is not complete without the contributions of these designers whose works are winning the respect and admiration of fashion stakeholders at home and abroad. We can’t start the New Year without mentioning some of the fashion designers who will set the pace in 2019.

    Lanre Dasilva-Ajayi of LDA

    There is no denying the fact that Lanre Dasilva-Ajayi is one of the highly talented fashion designers who churn out amazing styles all year round. The creative director of LDA stepped on to the fashion industry in Nigeria with pieces that instantly caught on with women because they were created to be visually stunning, distinctive with painstaking attention to detail. Her custom-made designs for her clients and models are made to fit the wearer’s personality and body type. She is known for her limited and unique designs and creating fashion items of timeless style attitude.

    Tolu Bally of 2207bytbally

    Tolu Bally of 2207bytbally broke into the fashion scene and took the fashion community by pleasant storm. In less than two years, the fashion brand is known to have styled many Nigerian celebrities such as Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Bolanle Olukanni, Ini Edo, Toyin Abraham, Linda Osifo, Inidinma Okojie, Lilian Afegbai, to mention but a few. Her pieces on celebrities have been adjudged a must-have in many circles.

    Sandra Tubobereni Of Tubo

    She sparked a new revolution in the fashion industry some years ago. Tubo came into the Nigerian fashion scene in 2014 when she switched from a career in finance and business development to pursue her dream of fashion. And in 2016, she released the debut collection of her brand. Her collections featured eye-popping structured pieces. She made a name by churning out fantastic designs. She was the brain behind Rita Dominic iconic design for AMVCA 2018 red carpet

    Fabikun Derin of Fablanebyderin

    Derin caught the attention of the fashion industry for the creation of his brand, Fablane by Derin, in 2009. With a decade experience in the fashion industry, Derin is arguably one of the best celebrity fashion designers in 2018. Derin boasts a large number of celebrity figures in Nigeria.

     

     

     

    Toyin Lawani of Tiannahsplacempire

    The red carpet look designer has carved out a niche for herself. Toyin worked mainly with high quality and exquisite fabrics, showcasing the beauty of chord, chiffon, satin, etc. She uses quality, vibrant and shimmery fabrics together with other mixture of fabrics and accessories to produce eccentric designs that are her signature. Almost all the ladies of style have two or more of her designs in their wardrobe.

    Ohimai Atafo of Mai Atafo

    Mai Atafo, as he is well known, is one of the Nigeria’s foremost fashion designers that have been rocking the fashion scene for some years now with glamorous regal male and female outfits. Talented Mai woke us from our slumber a few years ago to the world of classic and vintage inspired outfits. His collections are distinguished by a diverse fusion of glitz and class.

    Ejiro Amos Tafiri

    Ejiro had the honour of designing for top fashion labels before setting up her own. That she draws inspiration from a myriad of sources is evident in her skilful blending of styles, textures and fabrics from around the globe. Her designs have been rocked on and off the fashion runway both locally and internationally for years. Ejiro has sculpted quite a personal style for herself since appearing on the fashion scene.

  • Robes with special effect

    Robes with special effect

    THE best thing that can happen to you as you step into the New Year is to look fantastic and be the toast of everyone. There are times when you just want to feel free and attractive. At such moments long flowing robes readily come to mind. A number of our designers have outfits that connote panache and elegance.

    In Ejiro Amos Tafiri’s collection you find a variety of styles when it comes to flowing robes. Here, the designer’s creative ability in stretching beyond a singular structure and design makes the flowing robe a must-have. “I love to design clothes for upwardly mobile young women. These are women who are comfortable in their style and what they wear.”

    Getting the right accessories to complement your flowing gown can be a delight. You can make this happen by matching it with shades of the colour or contrasting colours for that special effect. When it comes to choosing accessories with panache, the gold, silver and costume ornaments come to mind. They all connote elegance, high fashion and more.

  • ‘My journey in fashion’

    ‘My journey in fashion’

    For Ejiro Amos Tafiri, becoming a global brand and exploring new opportunities in the textile industry is something that must be attained. In her collection, the variety of styles presented depicts the designer’s creative ability in stretching beyond a singular structure and design as she manages to cover all areas of ready-to-wear. In this an interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she reveals her driving force and how it made her reap a number of awards and recognitions over the years.

    WHAT would you describe as the turning point in your career?

    Barely a year into our existence, we were selected to represent Nigeria by USAID at Origin Africa which took place in Mauritius. It was a show for African designers and manufacturers to discuss the sector in Africa. It was a great platform for networking and I actually got designer friends from 10 countries in Africa. Mauritius had lots of opportunities and it broadened my horizon and gave me a future for my business.

    How did you get into the fashion business?

    I went to Queens College Yaba, Lagos. I wanted to be a doctor and when I did my exams, the vocational subject was agriculture and I got A3, and for me that was not good enough. I switched to clothing and textiles and I did well. I later went to the Yaba College of Technology where I studied clothing technology.

    What was the experience at Yabatech like?

    It was interesting but tough. First, I had to prove to my parent who did not understand why I dropped medicine for fashion. I did OND and HND there and all through the period, I was always the best student. Interestingly, I had basically science results but I was determined to stand out. In school, I got the best student ND in 2006, best graduating student in fashion.

    Who or what influenced your career in the industry?

    My first internship was with Zizi Cardow. She was a strong inspiration in my career. She made me believe in myself and made me focus on what I wanted. After Zizi, I worked with Tiffany Amber and this was where I learnt the business side of fashion. I also learnt how to understand women. I come from a family of all boys; mum was a tomboy and I didn’t really understand what women wanted.

    So this was a very healthy marriage of opportunities for me. During my Youth Service, I went to Kaine Bode George’s Out Of Africa and I worked here as a junior designer and production assistant. I rose to become senior designer and chief designer that same year. Everyone I worked with mentored me in different ways. I got other opportunities with more money but I decided to stay here because it was what I wanted to do.

    What was the driving force for you?

    When I got in I already knew what I wanted but I needed to understand orgnisational structure which I found was in place there. She was very organised and I learnt that from her. I put everything into what I was doing and they found that the stuffs that I designed sold more.

    How would you describe the clothes in your collection?

    What I make are Afropolitan dresses. Usually, I try to make clothes for real women. Through my designs, I try to tell my African story as well as make it a cross continental thing. In addition, I try to drape, and in Africa we are known for that. I use a lot of cotton, chiffon and some African fabrics. I also make a lot of dresses.

    What motivates your designs?

    I am inspired by different cultures. I love travelling, reading and watching movies. In the process, I get a lot of inspiration, and for me creativity is like going on an adventure.

    Who are your targets?

    I love to design clothes for upwardly mobile young women. These are women who are comfortable in their style and what they wear. Here we are talking about women in their late 20s to late 60s.

    Tell us some of the fashion shows and exhibitions that you have participated in

    We have participated in the two ARISE magazine’s shows. We have also done the three Lagos fashion shows and designs sponsored By MTN and GTB respectively.

    What role did your parents play in all of these?

    Both of them are paramilitary. My dad retired from the SSS while my mother retired as an immigration officer. They were strict and this upbringing made me focused as well as made me want to be excellent at all times. Striving to be best made my parents happy all the time.

    How do you source your materials considering the fact that our textile industry is dead?

    It is really sad. Everything is imported and there is no confidence in things done here. We are all buying from outside the country. It would be better to grow the industry and make things better.

    Where do you hope to be in the next five years?

    We want to be sold in all the major cities of the world. We are currently in three places in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. This is for mainly distribution and our dream is to go into leather goods and accessories and ultimately be a lifestyle brand.

    What has been the response?

    It is encouraging. Every time we present our show to any audience they are impressed. The response has been good. It is very stressful, demanding but quite rewarding.

    If you had to advise young people, what would you tell them?

    They should always make sure that what they are going into is something that they really want.

  • FASHION FUSION

    FASHION FUSION

    ARE you ready for Fashion Fusion 2013? It is scheduled to hold at Oriental Hotel, Lekki Expressway, Lagos on December 19. The event, which is organized by Ebere C.Ekeledo (LOC Group), Williams (Avante NG). This is the first edition of fashion fusion, but the organizer guaranteed it is going to be a yearly event.

    Special guests include Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Zazi Cardow, Funke Ogunde, Adebayo Oke Lawal, Mai Atafo, Uche Nnaji and Lanre Dasilva-Ajayi.

    This youth empowerment initiative has been created to target and empower aspiring young designers who have found their passion for fashion and ventured into the fashion industry. The showcasing designers are Kola Kudus, Josh Samuel, Emeka Couture, Old Religion, Ti Nathan and Dadubajo.