FASHION - 10 TOP FASHION DESIGNERS IN NIGERIA

TEN TOP FASHION DESIGNERS IN NIGERIA

* DEOLA SOGEO

Sagoe began designing in 1989 and has gained international notoriety for her lively, and colorful designs. She was recently appointed to represent Nigeria in a new international campaign organized by the United Nations World Food Program. The campaign, titled “Catwalk the World: Fashion for Food.”, began in Nigeria in April 2006 and recently staged an event in Ghana which brought celebrities like Damon Dash, his wife, designer Rachel Roy, and Ghanaian-born, London-based designer Ozwald Boateng. The campaign's goal is to raise money towards halving the number of hungry people in the world, particularly children, by 2015. Sagoe frequently exhibits her couture collection at Cape Town .Fashion Week and has been an invited guest of New York Fashion Week in the past. Sagoe has won the “Africa Designs” and the MNET/ Anglo Gold African designs 2000 awards for which she was nominated by Andre Leon Tally, US Vogue editor



 * ZIZI CARDOW

 ZIZI cardow the founder and brain behind the label, won the prestigious designer of the year award at the premier event, NFS (Nigerian fashion show) in 2001.This award launched her designs in to the African market in (south Africa) and Europe(Italy, France and Britain).
Zizi cardow is a forerunner in contemporary African fashion. In 2000,when the label was launched, she began a revolution for the African fabric with a view to globalization, resulting in a growing patronage in ethnic fabric.Added to her list of laudable achievement is the nomination of her as the only Nigerian representative to the fashion and art exhibition in Milan tagged AFRICANDO, an occasion graced by the mayor of Milan, dignitaries and foreign ambassadors.In 2002 her fashion house staged a top-notch fashion show tagged ‘’jungle Renaissance’’ which receive rave reviews from both local and international critics in fashion industry, this then created the scene for the staging of ‘’jungle renaissance reloaded’’ in 2006.



*FOLAKEMI FOLARIN COKER

Folake was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1974. After her education in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, She earned a postgraduate degree in petroleum law and returned to Nigeria to pursue her fashion interests^[Her fashion brand, "Tiffany Amber" was launched in Lagos in 1998 and has become an iconic label in the Nigerian fashion industry. The Brand has four stand alone stores and boutiques in Lagos and Abuja^] She has staged several fashion shows in Africa, Europe  and the United States.In 2008, she made history as the first African-based fashion designer to stage a show twice at the New York Fashion Week She was the first recipient of the "Designer of the Year" award at the African fashion week in Johannesburg in 2009 and was also awarded "Fashion Brand of the Year" at the ARISE Magazine Fashion week in 2011. In 2013, she received an Enterprise Award at the 2013 Women, Inspiration and Enterprise (WIE) Symposium and made the Forbes Power women list.



 * DURO OLOWO

Duro Olowu was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Nigerian father and Jamaican mother. He grew up living in both Nigeria and London and spent summers in Geneva, immersing him in multiple cultures.  Olowu began sketching fashion designs at six years old and continued throughout his childhood, but still chose to pursue a career in law and follow in his father's footsteps. He moved to the United Kingdom for school, earning a law degree at Canterbury University in England and practicing in Nigeria.Duro Olowu has enjoyed support from American First Lady Michelle Obama, who frequently wears his designs. Michelle Obama also engaged Olowu in decorating the White House in 2015, where he decorated the Vermeil Room with ornate trappings and teddy bears made of vintage African fabrics. The designer said, "My idea [was] to create a beautiful feast for the eyes reminiscent of a warm and joyful season filled with international treasures and signature fabrics.



*MAI ATAFO

Mai Atafo is a Nigerian bespoke fashion tailor. He caught the attention of the fashion industry for the creation of his brand, Mai Atafo  and by enrolling the Leeds-based Savile Row Academy to further train as a tailor.Mai Atafo was born in Ile-Ife, Osun State. He spent his early life in Lagos, attended the University Staff School Benin then the Federal Government College, Ido-Ani, Ondo State, Mai Atafo later earned a master's degree from the City University UK in Information System and Technology. He owns inspire clothing line.



* LISA FOLAWIYO 

Lisa Folawiyo has been featured in several publications such as Vogue, Style.com, The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Wear Daily, Drapers, BBC.co.uk, Dazeddigital.com, ModaOperandi.com, The Financial Times Online (How To Spend It), Essence, and Marie Claire. The Lisa Folawiyo line is housed under the Jewel by Lisa Group, with other brands namely Jewel by Lisa (The Ankara collection), The J label (The Diffusion collection), and Pretty Precious (The Kids collection,



* FRANK OSHODI

Frank Osodi Richard, the Proprietor of the house of Bunor Creazioni. Frank a former professional model has won for himself several awards in his years as a fashion designer, most notable among them are International designer of the year 1991-1992, fashion person of the year 2003.
Frank is also the brain behind the highly successful annual international fashion show BLACK, BOLD AND JAZZY, later refered this days as Red Bold and Jazzy.
Frank Osodi is beyond doubt one of the most talented in the fashion society today. With the roots of his talent stemming from fashion to model management, fashion consultant to media and events, and make up.



* ADE  BAKARE

Ade Bakare has won so many awards among which are awards from Brides (a Conde Naste publication) and The Paris academy. As his way of giving back to the fashion community, he has written a lot of fashion articles and currently writes his column ‘Camera Obscura’ for Le Vogue . He started his line in London, making clothes for boutiques in the UK and France. He finally opened salons in London and Nigeria which has since been tending to his high end clientele till date. He has also added a perfume line called Breeze and a jersey line called Ade Breeze to his many achievements



* LOLA FATUROTI

 Lola Faturoto  designed Nigerian traditional clothes. That was my first introduction to fashion.” So with this inspiration from her roots, she came to New York, to take the fashion scene by storm. Inspired by the Obama campaign, she created the Obama print dress with the words ‘Olowa gba President Barrack Obama’ boldly printed on it. This brought her into the fashion lime light in the US.
This brought her into the fashion lime light in the US. Her ability to mix prints and create clothes that speak so vividly of her origin is Lola’s niche



* SOARES ANTHONY

Soares Anthony, a bachelor’s degree holder, has been working earnestly and his efforts have paid off with awards. His pieces have been won by very affluent politicians and have been distributed to London, France and the USA. He also owns a fashion magazine called SG2 which celebrates Nigerian fashion. Soares has been giving back to the Nigerian fashion industry by running a program that helps teach young Nigerian designers what they need to make their work of competent international standards. It will be a delight to watch him grow to his heights.