The Africa Fashion Week Nigeria is back for the second season and the team behind the project mean business; to promote Africa’s fashion industry to the rest of the world.
Meet the Team
Ronke Ademiluyi was born in London to a scion of the royal family in Ife Kingdom in the South Western part of Nigeria. She is a rare combination of beauty and brains. Ademiluyi, the founder and Chief Executive officer of Africa Fashion Week London and Nigeria is on a mission, fuelled by the lack of retail space, production factories and start-up funds and how these are hindering the growth of the potentially multi-million dollar African Fashion Industry. A graduate of Law from Thames Valley University in London, her passion and flair for fashion made her stand out among the high and the mighty in Nigeria and internationally. While in the University, her passion for dressing and looking good became so pronounced that she started assisting people to choose apparels for their wardrobes, a pastime which later grew into professional consultancy. Africa Fashion Week London, her brainchild got global recognition and become an unparalleled platform for over 2000 UK and non-UK designers and in 2014, she decided to bring the show to her country of origin. On 18th May, 2014, she successfully hosted the first edition of Africa Fashion Week Nigeria, bringing the event home to the African continent. The event featured over 40 designers and exhibitors, most of whom were young and emerging names in the fashion industry.
She continues to be dedicated to promoting African fashion and supporting African inspired designers across the globe.
Sola Oyebade aka Mr. Mahogany is the CEO and Creative Director of Mahogany International, which was founded in 1996.
Sola Oyebade is the Creative Director for Africa Fashion Week London and Africa Fashion Week Nigeria and has worked on both shows as their show producer and creative director since their inception. On average, he works with over 70 designers and 50 models for each show.
He is a recognized figure within the African and Caribbean entertainment and fashion industry and is used constantly as an events director, choreographer, international judge and show producer as well as a consultant to some of the top shows and events in the UK and Africa.
He has produced and managed projects for some of the biggest shows in Europe and Africa including Lagos Jazz Series, Love Like a Movie, Saro The Musical, Britain’s Top Designer, Nigerian Student Fashion & Design Week and London Fashion Week to name just a few.
He received international acclaim and recognition for being the man who was responsible for making the Italian Vogue, All Black Issue, the biggest selling edition of Vogue ever. Sola Oyebade is a recipient of the Nigerian Centenary Award (UK), being recognized as one of one hundred influential Nigerians over the past 100 years.
Abiola Olatunde Aloba is presently the Coordinator Africa, Africa Fashion Week London, which is a sister brand to Africa Fashion Week Nigeria.
She has been a part of the worthy cause to promote everything African/Nigerian on the AFWL platform from the beginning in 2011.
Prior to her involvement in the laudable annual fashion extravaganza held in the summer of every year in one of the top 4 fashion capitals of the world, she had made her mark at one of Nigeria’s top 2 entertainment and lifestyle journal, Encomium Magazines; where over the years she rose through the ranks to become the editor of the monthly edition, Encomium Lifestyle and was a contributor to other journals under the same stable like the Encomium Weekly and Encomium Special editions.
Yetty Ogunnubi (Yetty D) is a professional in the Fashion and Art Industry. She is the head of PR and Marketing for AFWN 2015. With over 11 years’ work experience in the fashion industry, she is the creative director and owner of Yetty D label/ Revolution by Yetty D which is based in London. Over the years, she has successfully organized an annual fashion event named after her label. She has used the platform to promote emerging fashion labels and artists.
Yetty co-produced, mentored and handled project management for soon to be aired reality TV Show, Uber Africa Unmasked; a show that follows the lives of up and coming designers in London to find the next best African inspired designers.
She worked as a fashion editor for London-based magazine, Isaac Outlook Magazine, Side View Magazine and has contributed to numerous magazines. She is also the Creative Art Director, teacher and partner of Paint-and Wear (Children’s Party Organizers, London)
When she isn’t doing all the creative stuff, she also runs her PR/ image and branding consulting business.
Ar’zu Okaro is the CEO, X-Ray Clothing, an online unisex clothing brand. He made his debut collection at the Black Heritage Lagos State Fashion Week in 2010 and Imo State Fashion Week in 2011. He worked back stage for Arise Magazine Fashion Week 2011 & 2012 and he showcased his designs/collections at Nigeria’s Models Achievers award (NMAA) 2012. At City Peoples Award 2013, he worked backstage, then at the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) 2014, he worked as the wardrobe manager. He is working for AFWN this year as the back stage manager.
Jide Adedeji is the creative designer and stylist behind the men’s wear brand, JREASON, which was founded 2 years ago. Jide is known in the fashion industry as both stylish and enterprising. He has showcased his collections across major fashion platforms from ECOWAS Fashion Week to Music Meets Runway. He has styled at nearly all the major fashion shows and TV productions (including Spice TV). Jide is certainly no newcomer to the ethics behind the scenes and back stage.
This year, Jide Adedeji takes up seat as one of the head stylists for Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2015.
Michael Udeh is a stage manager, and the executive director of Hitbeatz Entertainment, a fast rising entertainment company in Africa. He has worked in major fashion shows in the continent such as: Nigeria’s Next Top Designer, Nigerian Student Fashion and Design Week, Lagos Fashion Meniac awards, Freedom Foundation Charity Ball Africa, Nigeria International Super Model.
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This article was first published on 7th May 2015
ejura
Ejura Salihu is an Anatomist, Writer and Editor. She is currently the Editor-in-chief for Connect Nigeria. You can contact her via email: ejurasalihu24@gmail.com or follow her on twitter @icyquin_msc
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