By Jemi EKUNKUNBOR
Funmi Ajila-Ladipo (fashion designer)

Funmi Ajila-Ladipo

I think we’ve come a very long way. With fashion, I think we are doing well but the only thing is that we don’t know  what to wear for what time. We don’t the season and time to wear certain clothing. We shouldn’t just make every wear  a ceremonial wear. I think we are moving, we are doing great but we still have a long way to go. But with a little  more push and force, we will get there both for the fashion and the industry. We just need encouragement to move on  to another level. The use of the local fabric and the ability to turn the local fabric into contemporary styles is  great. So, we’ve done well.

Folorunsho Alakija
(Ex FADAN President)

Folorunsho Alakija

Don’t you think we’ve come a long way and that there is room for a lot more publicity for the fashion industry? I  don’t think that the talent we have in this country are being showcased enough yet. I think we need a lot more  international exposure so that the world can know what is happening in Nigeria. The creativity has always been there  in the Nigerian fashion industry but publicity is not enough. But then again, I also think that we need to educate  our designers more on what to wear for each occasion. Many of them still don’t understand what is appropriate for  what occasion.

Nikkie Khiran
(fashion designer)

Nikkie Khiran

I thunk we still have a very
long way to go because we
don’t have any support from the government. It’s a situation of everybody to his own. We have lots of raw talents in  this country but with no support. I think once the government lifts the ban on imported fabrics and supports the  fashion industry, then, we can go places. Look at south Africa for example, they have all the support that they need  from their government and they are doing very well in terms of fashion.