Mary Nnah
CEO Oracle Experience and Project Co-promoter of Design Fashion Africa (DFA), Mr. Felix King has said that the objective of the maiden edition of the DFA held recently in Lagos was basically to empower young designers.
Speaking recently during a post-event press briefing in Lagos, he said, “We discovered that most of the fashion shows and platforms only give room for well-established designers which makes it really difficult for upcoming designers to breakthrough.
“So what we did was create a platform that will not just empower young designers but also transform their craft immensely by providing them with the opportunity to be mentored by established designers as well as share same stage with them.”
He explained that the platform which also afforded them the opportunity to build a synergy between the upcoming and established is capable of making the industry very vibrant.
The event which focuses on discovering and harnessing young talents in the fashion industry offers a massive platform for upcoming designers to groom their craft and launch out to the world. It was opened to young designers all over the country.
Aspiring designers who entered for the competition were auditioned and the best 10 were selected camped for two weeks. Within these two weeks they were mentored and groomed by veteran designers on how to develop their skills, how to source for fabrics, how to price, sell their finished works and manage their business.
The participants were given tasks and after each tasks two participants were evicted. The process continued with successful participants moving to the next stage till three finalists emerged, with Abubakar Jubril eventually taking the crown.
