The Nation Newspaper

Tag: make-up

  • Make-up artiste faces N242,000 theft charge

    An 18-year-old make-up artiste, Damilola Olarenwaju, was yesterday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing N242,000.

    Olarenwaju, a resident of Mushin, Lagos, is being tried for stealing.

    Read also: Govt to grow economy with solar, others

    Prosecuting Inspector Aondohemba Koti alleged that the accused committed the offence on January 16 at Post Office, Mushin, adding that he stole the money belonging to Mrs. Tolulope Adepitan.

    He said the accused fraudulently converted N242, 000, being proceeds from the sale of Knor Seasoning, to personal use.

  • Man to sweep court for stealing N15,000 make-up

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a make-up artist, Tunde Ebikeme, to community service for stealing beauty products valued at N15,000 from a supermarket.

    Magistrate M. O. Ope-Agbe convicted Ebikeme, 24, following his plea of guilty to a one-count charge of stealing.

    She ordered him to sweep the court’s premises from the fourth floor to the ground floor.

    The magistrate said the convict got only community service as punishment because he had a good skill which he needed to sharpen.

    Mrs Ope-Agbe warned Ebikeme against committing a crime because he could be sent to prison the next time.

    She said: “Prison will not be better for you. I want you to get better with your make-up job. But if you go back to crime, you will be sent to prison.”

    The magistrate delivered judgment after prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji stated the facts of the matter.

    Osuji said Ebikeme committed the offence on June 26 at Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

    According to him, the convict entered the supermarket, bought and paid for some items, but concealed other items in his pockets and attempted to leave without paying.

     

  • Quickie make-up tips

    Quickie make-up tips

    FOR that smartly done and perfect make-up, there are some quickie steps to follow. And the truth is that you don’t have to spend ages getting these steps right. These cosmetic tips will help you to avoid errors and finish up within minutes.

    Lipstick

    First apply a lip balm to lips before starting your make-up schedule. By the time you have done your eyes and the rest of the face, your lips will be moisturized and ready for the lipstick.

    Nail polish

    Is your nail polish from the last season too thick? Chances are the polish has begun to thicken at the bottom of the bottle. Add a bit of nail polish thinner to the bottle.

    For a glow foundation, get a gel or cream blushes to create a more natural and healthy look. Instead of going for a normal powder, get a cream powder. It is more visible and blends smoothly when rubbed on the face. Rub it on both cheeks. For a glowing complexion, make upward movement towards the eye.

    Mascara before curling your lashes

    Heat the curler with a hair dryer for a few seconds. Test to make sure it is not too hot, and then apply to eyelashes. The heat will lock in the curl on extra long eyelashes. Gently apply a lean of mascara just up to the lashes, so as to avoid blotching. Then, run an eyelash brush through the lashes to prevent caking mascara build-up.

    Pencil

    Place eye and lip pencil in the freezer for twenty minutes before sharpening it. This will harden it a bit and it would not break when sharpened.

    Eyeliner

    Instead of regular eyeliner pencil, go for a liquid liner to prevent smudging in the pleat of the lid. Liquid liner does not stain as easily as the regular ones.

    Concealer

    The concealer is also a great eye brightener; it feels soft, smooth and silky. It adds a touch of hydration to the under eyes area which can tend to be dry for most people. It covers dark circles adequately without caking and creasing.

  • As a make-up artist, you cannot afford to make mistake

    As a make-up artist, you cannot afford to make mistake

    For over 40 years, Olori Peju Sonuga has remained a force to reckon with as a make-up artist and a costumier. Almost an unsung area in the theatre business in Nigeria, but Sonuga as a professional has brought her personal love and touch to bring costuming to the fore. She shared her foray into the business with Omolara Akintoye in this interesting chat

    What prompted you to take up costuming and make-up as a career?

    I studied Fashion Designing at Yaba College of Technology in the year 1967, with that I went for my Industrial Attachment (IT) at the Nigeria Television Service, NTS, now NTA. While I was there, I had the opportunity to go and study abroad. That was school of Make-up and Costuming in London. Before then I was working as a Floor manager but I wasn’t fulfilled. I wanted to work as a costumier and after some time I was later asked to go and work in the costume department at NTS. Then I had the opportunity to go and study in London. I studied make up and also Special Effects in London and came back immediately. The name of the school was Grease Paint School of Makeup and Costuming. But there is a theatre school attached to it called Questor School in London where I bagged Diploma and this really gave me the confidence to soar high in my career.

    Why must the artist make up before going on stage?

    If you call someone an artist it means he/she is acting the part of someone He or she has to because he is acting the role of a person, not acting himself. Even if the part of the person looks like his own character, he still have to show that this person is acting a part and viewers must also believe that he/she is acting the part of someone. To show that the person is acting himself we have to make it look like what we have on paper, i.e. the part  the person is playing. So make-up is very important.

    When you came back from London, which was your first production?

    When I came back I was taken to Jos, Plateau State to work on this soap, Cock Crow at Dawn, after which I have done New Masquerade, Mirror in the Sun, Village Headmaster, among others. The list is endless.

    A lot of make-up materials imported into Nigeria are for fashion and beauty. No attention is given to makeup for artist why is it so?

    There was a day I went to a Trade Fair to get make-up for artist but there was none. All I could find was Beauty  Makeup. None for film, television and stage makeup because they are two different Make-up so i started wondering what to do. Then my husband encouraged me to take all the samples of my makeup materials which I imported from London to Mr Gbenga Abosede the owner of Aboseldehyde Laboratories, in ikeja. I told him that we can’t continue to import these makeup from overseas and he promised to do something about it. Nothing good came out of it. That was about 25years ago. It was when black people became popular in film industry abroad that was when they started producing makeup that they can use in Africa, but not a lot of it. Nevertheless if you are a good makeup artist you should be able to mix colours. Take for instance, I have taught people severally how to make blood and they are using it. They said they don’t want to use the one from abroad. So where you think you cannot get what you want you mix your colours. Even those that we trained as make up artist for film and television you still find them at the other side. Tara was one of those that i trained then but I don’t think she could remember all about film, television and stage makeup again. And that is what has happened to so many of them. So when you have so many people wanting to buy fashion make up and hardly do you see people wanting to buy theatre makeup why bringing it in. And when those that know about it are ready to use charcoal to make someone look old or ashes for make gray hair, then nobody will buy it. Whenever I order for this makeup from abroad I make sure it’s on request.

    As a Make-up artist do you need to do research?

    Yes a lot of research, if not you will do a shoddy job. Whenever I want to make up for any film I travel to places for research. I don’t just sit in one place and read script, no. I have a protégé in Jos. She calls me all the time, and I tell her what to do. So many makeup artists come to me for advice and I tell them what to do. Some people don’t ask questions and their work is poor. In so many films people may laugh when they watch the story line. I tell you if they watch the make up many people will walk out and it shouldn’t be so. As a make up artist you should be the first person to go into research. As a makeup artist your costume and your makeup have to go hand in hand.

     How do you store makeup. Does it have life span?

    No it doesn’t have expiry date but you have to preserve some in the refrigerator. Some can only last for two months like the liquid rubber, it can only last for three weeks.

    Is there any make up artist company in Nigeria as we speak?

    Those that are trained still order it from abroad but you can’t buy much because it is a bit expensive and you can’t preserve it. Also as a make up artist you must have knowledge of light on colours.  It is a pity that most Nollywood films don’t work on their make up at all. If you don’t study colours you cannot use colours in makeup and it will mar your work.

    What are the basic items you need as a Makeup artist?

    You need your brush, your foundations, transparent powder, eye pencils, lipstick, eye shadow, grey hair, colours and all the fanciful things you need for that production. The script will determine what you need. Your apron has to be on where you keep your brushes. Your script will dictate what you need and you need a very good assistant. You must have discussed with your assistant before you embark on it so that if your attention is needed somewhere else she should be able to carry on.

    Have you been able to mentor people who will take after you?

    I have trained not less than 200 people. Before I started my make up studio, I had lectured at Lagos State University (LASU) on make up and costume. I have lectured with Wale Adenuga, PEFTI Institute, ITPAN, among others.  I have trained people since 70s till date.

    Could you recall some of the productions you’ve done?

    Family Circle, Vigilante, New Masquerade, Mirror in the sun, Village Headmaster were some of my productions, the list is endless.

    Are there any challenges you have encountered?

    The only challenges I had were in costumes, and I told you that you have to do research before you embark on it. I almost made the mistake when I was lecturing at LASU. I was working on a play that had to do with masquerade, Igunnuko to be precise it is a kind of masquerade that you cannot just jump into and do and Shola Fosudo said Aunty we have to look for costume for it because we don’t have costume for it at LASU. So I went to Igunnuko house at Shomolu the man I met there happened to be my husband’s friend, and I told him that we want to act a play and we need igunnuko costume, and he shouted Hen igunnuko costume!. I said yes, he said go go out of here I wll come and meet you at LASU. So the man took his time  and came to meet us at LASU and said “If not that I knew your husband to be a gentleman and I knew that you are very naïve that’s why you came to our shrine to ask for the costume please don’t ever try it again in your life, if you try it you are dead, even if I leave here now and you do it without our knowledge we will know son don’t do it. Imagine if I didn’t go there to talk about it I could have put myself into trouble. That’s why people need to do research as a make up artist before doing it.I always encourage up coming make up artists but the thing is there are not so many of them and it is sad.

    Any books to show for all these work you’ve done?

    Yes and it took me 13 years to compile it.

    Any hope for make up industry in Nigeria?

    Yes there is hope nad lot of them are coming up now all they need is encouragement. So there is hope for the industry.

  • MAKE-UP can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you don’t know what products to use or how to use them. There are certain things that you should keep in mind while applying make-up. Knowing how much to use and what colours you want to wear is the first step in application. Below are basic make-up tips every woman should know to give the impression of being best always. * Apply eye shadow before you put on your foundation. A lot of people wonder about how to apply eye shadow. Putting on eye shadow after foundation can only lead to problems. Flecks from the shadow can fall onto your face, making it impossible to remove it without wiping off some of the foundation just applied. By applying eye shadow first, if any falls onto your face, you can swipe it off very easily with make-up remover. Already applied foundation and in a dilemma? Here is a make-up trick: Grab a piece of scotch tape and gently press it onto the area where flecks are visible. The tape will clean up any excess shadow. * Apply foundation colour that is closest to your skin tone. Some people make the mistake of purchasing a foundation with a face full of make-up which does not help the consultant find your perfect shade. Next time you head to the make-up counter, be sure to go all natural. To attain the perfect shade that is best for you, test the foundation on your jaw line. This will give you the most accurate match for your skin tone. Apply it with a brush or a sponge and never with your fingers as a lot of products get wasted on your hands and also it would not be too hygienic. * Never skip applying a loose/pressed powder after applying a liquid foundation. No one likes to look like a shiny mess, especially if you are attending a social event or working in an eight- hour shift. Too many women forget to apply a powder to seal their make-up. The result? A melting face you could have prevented, if you didn’t skip that one simple little step. * Get rid of mascara that is three months old. Every time you open a tube of mascara, airborne bacteria clings onto the wand. The tube also acts as a breeding ground for bacteria. Toss out mascara that has been open for three months or longer. * Do not go to sleep with your make-up on Sleeping with make-up on is bad for your skin as pores can get clogge., Your skin won’t breathe and you can wake up the next morning with a face full of zits. Next time you plan on spending a long night out, keep make-up remover wipes handy at your bedside.

    MAKE-UP can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you don’t know what products to use or how to use them. There are certain things that you should keep in mind while applying make-up. Knowing how much to use and what colours you want to wear is the first step in application. Below are basic make-up tips every woman should know to give the impression of being best always. * Apply eye shadow before you put on your foundation. A lot of people wonder about how to apply eye shadow. Putting on eye shadow after foundation can only lead to problems. Flecks from the shadow can fall onto your face, making it impossible to remove it without wiping off some of the foundation just applied. By applying eye shadow first, if any falls onto your face, you can swipe it off very easily with make-up remover. Already applied foundation and in a dilemma? Here is a make-up trick: Grab a piece of scotch tape and gently press it onto the area where flecks are visible. The tape will clean up any excess shadow. * Apply foundation colour that is closest to your skin tone. Some people make the mistake of purchasing a foundation with a face full of make-up which does not help the consultant find your perfect shade. Next time you head to the make-up counter, be sure to go all natural. To attain the perfect shade that is best for you, test the foundation on your jaw line. This will give you the most accurate match for your skin tone. Apply it with a brush or a sponge and never with your fingers as a lot of products get wasted on your hands and also it would not be too hygienic. * Never skip applying a loose/pressed powder after applying a liquid foundation. No one likes to look like a shiny mess, especially if you are attending a social event or working in an eight- hour shift. Too many women forget to apply a powder to seal their make-up. The result? A melting face you could have prevented, if you didn’t skip that one simple little step. * Get rid of mascara that is three months old. Every time you open a tube of mascara, airborne bacteria clings onto the wand. The tube also acts as a breeding ground for bacteria. Toss out mascara that has been open for three months or longer. * Do not go to sleep with your make-up on Sleeping with make-up on is bad for your skin as pores can get clogge., Your skin won’t breathe and you can wake up the next morning with a face full of zits. Next time you plan on spending a long night out, keep make-up remover wipes handy at your bedside.

    MAKE-UP can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you don’t know what products to use or how to use them. There are certain things that you should keep in mind while applying make-up. Knowing how much to use and what colours you want to wear is the first step in application. Below are basic make-up tips every woman should know to give the impression of being best always.

     

    * Apply eye shadow before you put on your foundation.

    A lot of people wonder about how to apply eye shadow. Putting on eye shadow after foundation can only lead to problems. Flecks from the shadow can fall onto your face, making it impossible to remove it without wiping off some of the foundation just applied. By applying eye shadow first, if any falls onto your face, you can swipe it off very easily with make-up remover.

    Already applied foundation and in a dilemma? Here is a make-up trick: Grab a piece of scotch tape and gently press it onto the area where flecks are visible. The tape will clean up any excess shadow.

     

    * Apply foundation colour that is closest to your skin tone.

    Some people make the mistake of purchasing a foundation with a face full of make-up which does not help the consultant find your perfect shade. Next time you head to the make-up counter, be sure to go all natural. To attain the perfect shade that is best for you, test the foundation on your jaw line. This will give you the most accurate match for your skin tone. Apply it with a brush or a sponge and never with your fingers as a lot of products get wasted on your hands and also it would not be too hygienic.

     

    * Never skip applying a loose/pressed powder after applying a liquid foundation.

    No one likes to look like a shiny mess, especially if you are attending a social event or working in an eight- hour shift. Too many women forget to apply a powder to seal their make-up. The result? A melting face you could have prevented, if you didn’t skip that one simple little step.

     

    * Get rid of mascara that is three months old.

    Every time you open a tube of mascara, airborne bacteria clings onto the wand. The tube also acts as a breeding ground for bacteria. Toss out mascara that has been open for three months or longer.

     

    * Do not go to sleep with your make-up on

    Sleeping with make-up on is bad for your skin as pores can get clogge., Your skin won’t breathe and you can wake up the next morning with a face full of zits. Next time you plan on spending a long night out, keep make-up remover wipes handy at your bedside.

  • Making a fortune with make-up

    Making a fortune with make-up

    Looking good, the popular saying goes is good business. Bukola Afolabi and Dorcas Umunagbe write about how some entrepreneurs are making money from doing make-ups for others

    Tara Durotoye, Banke Meshida,  Sam Fine and B.MPro are some of the big names that come to mind when one talks about professional make-up in Nigeria.This line of business has created lots of small and medium scale businesses that are thriving all over the country. Instead of waiting for the typical white collar job, a number of unemployed graduates and other young people have discovered their talents here, created jobs for others and are smiling to the bank on a daily basis.

    AdeyeyeTemitayo, a successful make-up entrepreneur, talks about how it all began as a passion. “I have always loved to play with people’s faces. I liked to do make-up right from my days in school. I can say I am obsessed with make-up. At times if I see you are not looking very fine, I give you my own make-up to use. I just like to transform people and so when I left school, I went for this job. As a matter of fact, I had also wanted to be independent and work for myself and so make-up did that for me.”

    For Temitayo, starting out was not easy. “I just worked on the faces of my friends and family to start then,” she said. “I went to photographers, models, magazines and worked for them to see and by doing that I created awareness and along the line, I got to work for some big people in the industry. It might take time to see the result you want but you just have to keep working. Know what you are doing, keep your make-up box clean, have a good attitude and be pleasant with people. By doing this, the change will come.”

    To make it a profitable venture, Temitayo advises that it is better to have good contacts or a good network of people. “There are make-up artistes that are not so up to the task, but then they get the pay because they know a lot of people and right people at that. So, if you have the contact, it will be profitable. A bride called me for a job and I gave her my price and then she did not call me back, but the amount she used to do it eventually was worth more than mine. Later, I discovered that she felt like I did not know what I was doing because my price was too cheap. We are talking about N80, 000. So, when you have the contacts, it gets profitable. When you know what you are doing, it gets profitable.”

    Getting customers, she says, is a major challenge but she has mastered the art to overcome this. “I work within London and Nigeria, and in London without advert, you won’t sell and so I do flyers, I make complementary cards. At times the complementary cards and flyers don’t work because some people might just throw them away and so I go through the stress of making myself up every blessed day to advertise for myself. Also one’s work should be able to convince people that you are good. There are many make-up artistes in Nigeria, though that is not my challenge because my work will speak for me. You just have to work hard. Another challenge could be that people are not ready to pay as charged; some people have underrated the business and so they are not ready to pay. They offer what is not worth your stress.”

    Her achievements in the past seven years include setting up her studio worth about N1.4 million, buying a car and much more. “I work for weddings, birthdays, graduation, etc. I go for parties that I am not invited, have rapport with the photographers and then stay with them and so when people come to take pictures, I do make-up for them and then they pay me. I can do make-up for like forty people. I might still tip the photographers but I have enough money.”

    Happily, she recounts one of her memorable moments on the job.

    “I did a make-up for a wedding and in the course of the wedding they projected pictures of the couple on a screen projector at the reception. They projected the pictures of the engagement of which I handled the make-up and everybody was just commenting and commending it.  The Master of Ceremony then asked the make-up artiste to stand up and I stood up and people were clapping for me. It was on point and I was very happy.”

    Oluyinka Oyindamola’s journey into the make-up business was about six years ago with one of King Sunny Ade’s videos. “His manager, then, introduced me to the job and I was always there to work,” she said. “That was before I did my training with Shapes and Shadows. I really love doing make-up and I have a passion for it. It has also helped me to pay a number of bills with the economy of the country.”

    She goes on to talk about some of the challenges encountered in the business. “There is a financial challenge in the sense that people look at make-up lightly and don’t want to pay much for it and so they want a cheap work, but then the work differs. Quality is quality. It could also be a little challenging to get customers because there are now plenty make-up artists out there.

    Her major clients include some artistes, brides and everybody. “I look at other people’s works, see what I cannot do, practice it till I can do it. I practice a lot. I learn from people who are better than me. I wish to be a makeup artiste known all over the world. I want to do make up for real big people like Michelle Obama. I want to be known.”

    Asked what inspires her on the job and she replies: “Okay, when I just got into the business I did some free jobs just to create awareness and some people have just got used to it. Just recently, I went to Ibadan to do a job for my cousin and if I tell you how much she gave me, you won’t believe it. People don’t just appreciate others. They feel she is my cousin or friend, so I can call her anytime.”

    Tolulope Oluyemi also recounts how she got into the business while studying in the university. “Then, I was a Mary Kay distributor and I discovered that my blushes do not usually sell. That was the time when people used blushes above the cheek bone, just very close to the eye ball and it looked like they have a burnt face. In my own little way, I could do make-up but I did not still know how to use the blush and so in my quest to know how to use blushes I signed up for a make-up training when I saw an ad on Facebook. The first day I was going to resume, I had plenty make-up on my face just to show them that I could do make-up but when the lady that was to usher me in opened the door, I was ashamed of myself; I realised I had rubbish on my face.”

    Going down memory lane, she recalls some of the challenges encountered at the beginning. “In Lagos, you have to be in traffic for hours before you get to where you are going, so that’s one. Another challenge is that people always think that prices are too high. You can call a price for someone and they will be like but say “it’s too much, is it not just powder and foundation? Meanwhile, you know what you are going to put in for them.  So, most people don’t understand what make-up is all about and why you have to charge so much for make-up and it could actually pose as a challenge.”

    Asked what she has achieved in the past four years and she replies this way: “I have achieved a lot, I can’t mention all but most importantly it has taught me how to tolerate people because in make-up you meet lots of people, some are really nice and some are really nasty. I also got a professional camera for myself (laughs). I have a little studio outside Lagos State where I sell basically Mary Kay products. I am still working because I still have a lot to achieve.”

    For her, the future is very bright and her prospect is she intends to have her own make-up line and also wants to be a well-known make-up artiste. “I also want to have a bridal fashion house. I attend make-up workshops. I watch makeup videos on YouTube and some of them I buy and I practice a lot.”

    Asked about her memorable moments, she says: “When I first learnt make-up, I did not learn how to tie gele (women’s traditional headgear) and then having to do my first bridal make-up, I was nervous. I actually did not think about tying gele and so when I did the make-up, everybody liked it and commended it and it was time to tie the gele and I could hear my heart beat but fortunately for me, the gele was fine and thereafter, I learnt how to tie gele.”

     

  • ‘I’m not a fan of make-up’

    ‘I’m not a fan of make-up’

    Nikky Odu-Khiran is a fashion designer of purpose and she doesn’t pretend about it. She is upscale and artistically inclined and doesn’t pretend about it. Over a decade she has continuously summed up her environment and recreated it in sumptuous fashion styles that relish the eyes in a very unpretentious manner. It is not surprising, therefore, that in the fashion design scene, the strong-willed designer remains all set apart, in a class of her own.

    Even the casual observer of fashion and style immediately acknowledges the bountiful endowment of her piece of work. Perhaps because it is ethnic; perhaps because it combines prints delicately splashed on silk fabrics and others that flatter the eyes.

    However, Nikky Khiran, as she is popularly known, agrees that her lifestyle just like her work is not hundred percent African. But though she agrees that the inner vision of her work springs from roots in her African background, the designer readily tells you that she’s uniquely different.

    “My style is bohemian chic. I’m a modern day gypsy. I love ethereal clothing, layering, fluidity, asymmetrical cuts and bold prints. I like to do ‘sexy’ in an understated ladylike way without showing too much skin. It’s a turn-off when I see women showing lumps and bumps all in the name of fashion. I believe strongly that fashion should always accentuate our best assets and downplay the worst!”

    In the realm of fashion and style, Nikky Khiran has a loud voice. And when she added ‘Grey Velvet,’ a fashion store to her success story, the circle of top fashion people and the upper class that graced the event, confirmed her pride of place in the fashion world.

    The following year, Nikky Khiran moved up. She added yet another fashion store that parades not just her work, but the works of other famed international fashion designers last year. Exclusive African designer packages, right in high brow Lekki made further accessible to those who understand the taste and attraction of couture and fashion accessories.

    The designer’s present outlook, she admits, goes deep into her early background. It also went a long way to influence the choice of her toeing the path of fashion designing.

    “I grew up in three different continents around the world. My parents were both educationists. My life has been a melting pot of different cultures, strong values, and a strong belief in God. I’m a graduate of the London College of Fashion, where I majored in Fashion Design Technology.

    My mother has always been my biggest inspiration. With a first degree in Fashion Design/Home Economics and a PhD in Education, she was extremely fashionable, a consummate homemaker and an all round entrepreneur.”

    Having acquired the know how in a terrain that came natural to her, Nikky Khiran returned to Nigeria, and it was surprising that her studio made impressions quite early among fashion conscious elites. Her journey to being a top fashion designer came even much earlier than when she returned Nigeria.

    Stylishly seated at her created angle at her Ikoyi office, Nikky Khiran shared more with us. According to her, “I started my line of clothing over 20 years ago in England. I started out with couture, one of my early pieces before moving to Nigeria 12 years ago. On return, I established myself. Though, I was still doing individual couture pieces. I, however, later started a ready-to-wear line with a range of dresses, skirts, kaftans and resort wear, which took off fabulously”.

    Along the line, Nikky Khirran added “a range of ethnic handbags and accessories as well as a NK home accessories range with lamps, candle stands, duvet covers and beanbags”.

    To one who breathes fashion and whose daily life is woven around the fashion industry, what does she think fashion is? “Fashion to me remains a relevant matter to today’s woman. Fashion is an expression of self and our moods. My thinking has always been that since we all have to dress up, we might as well have fun doing it. That remains an essence that features in my pieces.”

    Ask the designer how she would love to describe herself, a flash of mood crosses her beautiful face. But amused she comes all out bluntly and tells you in a no hold barred manner: “I’m simple and complex at the same time. I’m outspoken, disciplined, hardworking, God-fearing and driven by passion. But I also know how to unwind and have fun. I hate pretence.”

    And that is because Nikky Khiran is down to earth. As a successful lady, she still laughs freely and cheerfully. She takes time out to laugh at jokes and readily offers you a joke when in the mood. Notwithstanding, the designer has a serious outlook and downright business-like any time of the day. Success has not taken her away from herself. She may be a creative entrepreneur and a top fashion designer, but she is not all about fabrics, clothing and colours. Nikky Khiran still finds time to attend to lady’s things like going into the kitchen to cook.

    “I love cooking because I’m someone who likes food and is fussy about it.” The designer has created for herself a lifestyle that complements her kind of work, gives her an opportunity of relaxation and keeping stress at bay.

    “I love great music and I love to dance.” She admits with genuine excitement of one who values the beauty of life. “I travel a lot too, I eat out and hang out with great companies, and of course, I love shopping. My shopping takes me to Dubai because it’s a melting pot of different cultures. So I love shopping there. I also found out that I can find everything there. I love to shop in the USA for great casual wear and beddings. I go shopping in India for saris and exotic jewellery. I also shop in Italy, Paris and Spain for ‘unusual finds’ and a dose of culture and great food.”

    Shopping is every designer’s work and pastime. Nikky Khiran loves it and she possesses women items, collections that certainly would make many a lady green with envy. Apart from shopping for her work, her numerous travels bring her in contact with rare items.

    “Like I said, my style is bohemian chic. I’m a modern day gypsy.” With her, being stylish has no apology. And she expresses it in her peculiar words when she said: “Style is knowing what to wear, how to wear it and when to wear it. It’s being confident enough to try different looks, individuality, grace and elegance. Style is having that little extra something, without trying to be hard.”

    With a well endowed natural beauty, looks which she are regularly complemented, the designer confesses that she is not a great fan of make-up. “What make-up means to me? I am not a great fan of much make-up. I favour a more natural look. And my dressing depends on my mood, which of course, depends on where I am going to, at any particular time.”

    Nikky Khiran’s work and brand are somewhat intertwined. She is a lover and fan of her own brand. She wears and models her clothes and many say it fits her ‘like a glove,’ just as it fits her clients too. For her business acumen and ability to turn her passion to a success, the designer offered a few tips on what success means to her.

    “I believe that success is a state of the mind. It’s being the best you can be at whatever it is you are doing.” In the pursuit of success however, the designer insists that she values her peace of mind. “Yes, I value my peace of mind. I value real friendship and I try to be content at all times.”

    Marriage may not have come yet, but it is never ruled out because the designer commends it. She, however, knows that it is not easy as said. “My view on relationships and marriage is, I think one of the greatest achievements is to find that person that understands you and can complete you; that is, your better half, which is easier said than done.”

    She believes in the ability of women to excel in life and combine a career with family life successfully. “Women are built by God to be multi-faceted. We have the ability to combine so many things and do them well. We see so many examples of successful married women and single mothers all around us.”

    Seeing her so endeared to her work in a conducive, posh atmosphere she has so created, one is led by curiosity to ask her: ‘If you were not what you are today, what else would you have loved to be?” Nikky Khiran had a ready answer: “Since my orientation has always been geared towards the arts, I would have been a textile designer, architect, jeweller, interior decorator, which I do dabble into from time to time, or a lingerie manufacturer.”

    She doesn’t miss what she is not, what with so many shows that she has featured in at home and abroad. With it all, is she fulfilled? She responded: “I’m a highly motivated person who strives at constant self-improvement, so there is always room to be better.”As she recalls, her childhood mirrors her perception about that.

    “My parents were highly disciplined people, with respect for others. They had a high level of integrity. They were extremely intellectual with an unusual devotion to God. They instituted a strong moral and value system in us and taught us the importance of personal sacrifice, integrity and contentment in all things. Their life lessons to us were worth much more than money and they loved each other to bits.”

    How about designers? What is her perception or view about designs in Africa and designs abroad? “African designers are just coming up with infrastructural challenges, especially in Nigeria and not much access to good quality materials and trimmings as well as poorly skilled labour. It becomes double hard to produce. It’s very hard for us to compete on an international level.”

    One wonders where such fabulous designer her sources of inspiration come from. “I’m inspired by many things such as sight, sound, exotic places, art, music, fabric, the middle east, Asia, my moods, life! And of course my greatest inspiration is God,” she replied.