By Rita Okoye

This week’s exclusive feature is a fashion brand whose range of creativity and scope of artistry has helped to carve a brand identity that stems from pure passion for fashion and a need to make clothing that creates an exotic outward appearance and a mental safe space for the wearer.

Subscribing to the importance of culture in fashion, the brand is culture-centric, one of the champions for the use of Nigerian fabrics, and its reputation is built on its customer satisfaction principles.

Founded by Funke Mary Babatola, BFM Fashions Enterprise has emerged as one of the fastest-developing fashion brands setting a new tone for future fashion trends and intentionally reinventing those of our cultural heritage. With over 5 years since the brand was founded, they have eased their way into the hearts and wardrobes of many people because of their bold and daring designs. We had an opportunity to speak with Funke about BFM and she expressed the brand’s vision and their walk towards attaining more milestones.

With BFM’s range of designs inspired by street style and urban culture, they have a team of competent people whose tailoring and designing abilities complement each other. Under Funke’s leadership, the richness of their designs gives an insight into the depth of the brand’s production process and pays homage to the rich history of Nigeria through their selection of homemade fabrics to celebrate our textile industry.

BFM’s intentionality towards building a fashion brand central to Nigerian culture and history, to contribute to the development of fashion and cultural tourism across the board is impressive. Domicile in Sango Otta, Ogun State, where Adire is the traditional fabric of the people, BFM has created an artistic strategy to celebrate the fabric and in turn gained popularity among individuals, brands, and organizations who are consistently in awe of how they are using the fabric to create urban ideas that celebrate the city’s heritage.

Funke said, “For me, there are a couple of questions that designers must answer with their product. Every fabric, customer, accessory, and colour is asking a question. How can you make me look better or be a part of something unique? Once we process it that way, it is easy to look inward with intentionality and imagine illustrations that can become fashion statements and trends. That is how I create. Sometimes, I stare at the thread for a while, then design ways to maximize its use from a designer’s perspective. I go ahead to incorporate other ideas or fashion styles to my perspective and before you know it, I have created something.”

The brand’s objective to continually create ready-to-wear and bespoke wear with locally and internationally sourced fabric has helped them seize moments at the exhibitions and fashion festivals they have featured at. BFM transitions design ideas to accommodate quality assurance and reflect elegance.

Some of their designs are on the pages of this article, and you will find them appealing to your eye and sense of style. We are excited to see how their development unfolds.

Vanguard Newspaper