By Jemi EKUNKUNBOR

From a very early age, it seems that life natural carved her path for her. As a child she drew on any surface, it was a passion for her. Although she could have followed other paths in the arts department, the pull for fashion was like a calling. And so she studied fashion at Kingston University, Surreal. On graduation, she took appointment with Oasis as a graduate designer. She then worked her way up as assistant designer then junior designer designing for various departments. She later moved on to another label, Principles where she worked for quite a long time. Her next stop was at Dorothy Perkins where she had a stint for six months. Like many who work for others, after Dorothy Perkins, Lauren Anderson felt she was done working for people. Her next move was to work only on consultancy basis. And so she consulted for Zara, Mango, Marks and Spencer and Top Shop before leaving to do her own thing.

At the moment Lauren and long time friend, Richard Edukugho now run a new label, Deco. With Lauren as creative director, the brand parades a collection of eclectic Ankara designs as well as skinny jeans. Both partners were in Nigeria recently to promote the brand. Allure caught up with Lauren, a first time visitor to Nigeria. She shares her frank impression about Nigeria, the people and the fashion. Enjoy it.

How did you decide that you wanted to be a designer?

I actually wanted to be loads of different things but I always drew everywhere. I’d draw clothes, I’d make things. From a very early age, I was making my own outfit for fancy parties. I remember there was one party I went to and I wanted to be a punk. So I made myself into a punk, spiked up my hair, stuck on a stud on my nose and felt like the coolest thing in the world. I went to this party and was so different. So I’ve always knew that I’d do something in design whether it was fine art, sculpture, something along that line. To be honest, fashion was the one I never thought was my thing but it was the easiest of them all. I eventually studied fashion at Kingston University, Surreal. After university, I started working. My first job was at Oasis as a graduate designer. The rest is history

now.

It must be fun working for all those labels?

Yes. The fun part is when you see people wearing your designs. It’s even more exciting when you see your clothes in magazines like Vogue.

How much of your individual style goes into the clothes you design?

There is always an element of me there because at the end of the day, it’s my design. However, I still have to remember what the consumer wants. If I can’t do that, then there is no point because not everyone in the world would want to dress like me or is going to like the same things as me. So you always have to adapt. With Deco, so far, it’s been fantastic coming to Nigeria and seeing how people react to the collection. Before coming here, I was designing blindly by looking at all the magazines that Richie brought back. But it’s been very beneficial being here and seeing the reaction of everything. Obviously, that will help our next collection because now we know what people love to wear.

How are trends determined abroad?

Everything does go in time for us. If you are looking towards the 70s, then you know that the fabrics from the 70’s will be big. Like the leather look has been in for a while, so I’ve dressed like rock today. So you know that after that, it will be a complete reaction against that. So you go from hard leather to soft fabrics. But there are trends, fabric shows that happen in Paris every six months that people go to. It also happens in London where the fabric mills exhibit forward collection. As a designer, you go to look through the various mills, decide what you want for your brand and you implement that. Then in terms of colours, it depends on the trend that you are looking for. If you are looking at safari look for example, then you know that browns, neutral, camel and gold colours would work. You won’t necessarily put a bright pink in with that kind of look. When you are doing the trend or predicting the trend, it all stems from this flow.

What is your impression of Nigeria since you came?

It’s like a place I’ve never been to in the world. I’ve been to a lot of places but this is so different from anywhere. The people are very friendly but the place is a very hard place. No where else in the world is like here. It’s very different, look at the roads for example when it rains.

How did you decide that you should come to Nigeria?

For me, I was kind of prepared. It’s not like I was just coming here without an idea of the place at all. I’ve known Richie for like 11 years and his family used to come to visit a lot. That way, I got to know a lot about Nigeria and the people.

What shocked you most when you arrived?

First, I found the airport very run down. And then, there was the queue but not quite a queue because people were filling out of the queue to get to the front of the immigration desk.

How has it been since arriving?

Like I said earlier, the people are very friendly. We’ve kind of been all over the place really. We stay in Victoria Garden in Lekki but we come to the Island practically every day. We’ve been to Yaba, Maryland, Surulere, ikeja. But the thing is, I do get confused knowing one place from the other.

And the food?

The thing is, I actually cook a lot of the Nigerian foods anyway. I love vegetable soups. I’m a big fan of moi moi. I love boiled plantain and the roasted one (boli) as well. I love Suya. The first time I ever tried suya, Richie got it from a take away and brought it home for us to share. I ate the whole thing. I really love it.

What is your impression about fashion here?

It’s so diverse here. Fashion here is bold, colourful, brave and strong. Everyone dresses up has pride in his or her appearance. No one is afraid of a trend. You have people who completely do their own thing. You get people who just pick up a magazine and style themselves exactly how it is styled there. You also see people who look through a magazine and throw everything they see in the magazine in their look. So they have like 10 different looks going. It’s so diverse; everyone seems to be doing his or her own thing. What is different here is the body confidence of the people. It’s amazing if you compared to UK. In the UK and Europe, a lot of people shy away from their shapes or figures and will be on diet whereas here, everyone is very proud and happy with he or she has. It’s a fantastic thing that people are confident in themselves.

Another thing I really love here is the tradition within outfits worn and the pride in the tradition. I personally find that a real sense of identity.

But professionally, what is your assessment of the fashion industry here?

The fashion industry in Nigeria is kind of non existent. From what I have seen, it’s like a group of people who travel to USA and Europe, they buy stuff there and then they bring it back here and charge five times the price for something if actually you got on a plane and bought yourself, would be quite cheap. But because not all can travel, they are able to charge that much. There doesn’t seem to be any value for money and it seems the consumer is always being ripped off a bit. Then there is the other extreme with designers here who charge a fortune for something that if you put that in a European store or one in the USA, you won’t be able to sell because the quality is not so great. I think there’s need for more competition here to raise the standard up just like it is in Europe or USA. Here there doesn’t seem to be any high street or high end brand.

Well, we still have the problem of inability of designers here to mass produce?

Well, I think there are people who’s got the skill to do that but there is no power to work and it’s a major problem.

What is your individual style?

I wear loads of jewellery, so you’d find me with bangles, rings etc. I also kind of like black colour a lot. It’s a common joke with friends they say, “here is Lauren with black again”. I don’t experiment too much with colour because I’m very pale so, colour, kind of wash me off. I wear what I feel comfortable in not because it’s in fashion. Because I do forward trend, I get into stuff way ahead of people. So by the time, its trend, I’ve gone past that. So in some of the companies I’ve worked in, people ask me, “what do you want to wear or what are you into right about now?” And I will be like, I feel like skinny Levi jeans and biker jacket with studs and they will be like, “okay, so we know that in a year’s time, that will be the trend”.

That means people will never really understand your dress sense?

Yes. Even with Richie, he used to laugh at some of my outfits. But I just wear what I want to wear and what I’m comfortable in and yet some people might think that is weird.

What won’t you do in the name of fashion?

I wouldn’t do something just for the sake of fashion or because it is the trend or because everyone else is doing it. I’d do it because I want to. I usually don’t like what everyone else is doing. So, I usually do the opposite.

How far would you push your style?

I wouldn’t wear something that is completely see-through. The current maxi is fashionable but I wouldn’t wear it because I won’t be comfortable in it.

What is your favourite accessory?

Jewellery. I couldn’t go out with having some jewellery on, some form of rings or bracelets. I like mixing gold in tones.

You are not big for shoes?

I love shoes. I have a ridiculous amount of shoes. I travel with like 10 pairs.

Who is your favourite designer?

It has to be Carl Lagerback. I think he is amazing. What he has done in his career is incredible. I like the fact that he does so many different things like he designs for Chanel and Fendi. He also has his own label. He releases books and makes films, he does loads of different things and I think if I can do 1% of what he has done, it will be amazing.

What would you say is the high point of your career so far?

To be honest, I feel very lucky that we are doing very good so far with Deco. I hope it keeps on going.

What is your dream?

I’ve always dreamt that I would own my own label and design for myself because you spend so much time designing for other people making them a lot of money and at the end of the day, you earn a salary. But you also get rewarded seeing people wear your design. Designing is a