Over the weekend, Lagos Fashion Week organizers held at a closed session on Friday 5th of April. At the event, five Fashion Focus Finalists from the 2017 / 2018 Cycle presented their proposals for their fashion businesses.
Faith Oluwajimi was first runner up and this time around there was a runner up prize.
Adenike Adegboye won the audience favourite prize at the Fashion Focus Fund live event which gave the wider community an opportunity to vote for their favourite pitch of the evening.
At the end of the night, Fashion designer, Cynthia Abila has emerged winner of the fashion fund live. She was selected by a panel of judges that included Omotade Odunowo (Managing Director, FETSWALLET), Osayi Alile Oruene(Chief Executive Officer, Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation), Chukwuka Monye, Ify Monye (Managing Director(s), Ciuci Consulting), Akin Oyebode (Special Adviser, Investment, Trade and Innovation, Ekiti State),Rukky Ladoja (Creative Director, Grey Projects), Doyin Okunrinboye (Sunlight Nigeria).
Lagos Fashion Week (#LFWNG) recently concluded its first season presentations held in partnership with Heineken Nigeria, FETS Wallet, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Garment Care and Style House Files (SHF).
Twelve designers presented their collections in the 3-day event at The Wings – Oando. The designers who showcased were mostly alumni of the LFWNG led Fashion Focus incubator program.
The 2017/18 Fashion Focus finalists that will be presenting at a closed session to judges who will select the recipient of the N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) grant are: Faith Oluwajimi (Bloke), Cynthia Abila (Cynthia Abila), Gabriel Solomon (Russell Solomon), Adenike Adegboye (Demure by ‘Denike) and Jermaine Asiedu (Jermaine Bleu).
Speaking on his journey in the last year, the first Fashion Focus Fund recipient, Emmy Kasbit said, “It has been a great experience being part of the Fashion Focus programme. The grant received as well as the mentorship from Ijeoma Ogbechie (Avivere Pret) has enabled me to make great strides in my business.”
