As Africa’s most prestigious Fashion Show the Heineken Lagos Fashion & Designers Week 2017 approaches, Lagos and fashion lovers can’t seem to get enough of the excitement that comes with fashion summer collections, run way shows, the street style and selfie moments. Last night the organizers of HLFDW2017 hosted a fabulous Press Cocktail event at the Heineken House in Ikoyi to brief bloggers, press men and guests about their plans for this year’s event.
Tobi Idowu and Morenikeji Akinsola, provided insight into the initiatives led by Style House Files and supported by Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) which ran throughout the course of the year leading up to #HLFDW, starting off with the inaugural Autumn/Winter presentation in March, the Fashion Focus seminars in Enugu, Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt, the apparel manufacturing – courses running at the Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC) in Apapa, and ending with Trade Shows which ran in 4 cities – WWDMagic Trade Show in Las Vegas, Pitti Imagine Super in Milan, Tranoi in Paris and ‘Music Matters” at Selfridges with Davido and Orange Culture.
It has been an impactful year for us at SHF and LFDW. From the A/W presentation to working with our Fashion Focus finalists all year round through various brand-building workshops, our HCDC training centers in Lagos and Abuja and trade shows, securing 19 new stockists. There is still a lot to be done, but we are hopeful with an increased focus on skills acquisition, training, providing opportunities for access to markets, our imaginings of a buoyant fashion industry that impacts the African economic landscape will be actualized” – Tobi Idowu, Project Manager – SHF
Speaking about her yearlong Fashion Focus experience, Imad Eduso said,
It has been an insightful experience. The knowledge gained on this journey has shifted my perspectives for the better and impacted the brand positively. Through the workshops and various Fashion Focus programmes I have learnt brand positioning, brand building, the importance of streamlining brand offerings, staying focused and how to sustain the business. #HLFDW is the perfect springboard to showcase my SS18 collection and I am excited for what lies ahead.
This year, Fashion Business Series will host it’s 5th season tagged “Technology and the Fashion Industry: What lies ahead?” in partnership with Style House Files, TECNO, FETS Wallet, NEPC, Business Day and Eko Atlantic. Taking place on Day 2 of fashion week, #FBS will feature speakers such as, Cosmas Maduka – Founder/CEO of Coscharis Group, Mark Van Iterson – Design and Concept Lead at Heineken Global, Mobolaji Dawodu – Fashion Director at GQ Style, Asiyami Gold – Content Curator, Sissi Johnson – Global Brand Strategist, Mode Aderinokun – Founder at Studio on Mode, amongst others, speaking on Sustainability, Digital, Technology, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Media.
A welcome addition to this years #HLFDW events will be the experience tent which will play host to Fashion Focus talks with influencers and tastemakers, an interactive Heineken bar and the bloggers lounge curated by The Assembly in collaboration with Newton & David. The bloggers lounge will be a networking hub as well as the perfect spot for bloggers to wine down or work before the evening shows. Access is strictly by invitation.
Omoyemi Akerele – Founder #HLFDW, rounded up the press cocktail thanking the commitment of sponsors and reiterating the objective of the #HLFDW platform and the growing need to engage the Pan-African fashion industry to promote skills acquisition and commerce that can catalyze economic growth.
