Nigerian Jay Traks wins international grant on fashion designing
Founder and creative director at Jay Traks, Trakiriowei Jacintha has won the keenly contested $ 5,000 growth grant as part of 360 Creative Hub’s Fashion Acceleration Program. The Grant was given by the Global Accelerator Learning Initiative, Emory University, Atlanta, at the end of a year-long monitoring and grading process that followed the Fashion Acceleration Programme.
The monitoring and grading was initiated to help participants of the program build their businesses; ensuring their application of the frameworks given at the Fashion Acceleration Program, with respect to established benchmarks. Apart from winning this grant, Jay Traks also gets the opportunity to enjoy one year of Fashion Business Mentoring and support, under the ‘Designer In Residence’ program, also organised by 360 Creative Hub.
“A lot of our homegrown designers do not understand what it means to build a brand, or run a scalable business, partly because the skills imparted at the various fashion training schools are primarily about making clothes,” said Blessing Ebere Achu CEO, 360 Creative Hub.
“As a result of this, many designers start their businesses knowing little or nothing about marketing, brand building and other elements of the business of fashion. This knowledge gap is what 360 Creative Hub was founded to fill through initiatives like the Fashion Acceleration Programme,” Achu added.
Trakiriowei founded the ready-to-wear line Jay Traks to stimulate a new generation of unstoppable women who are determined to be the best version of themselves and accomplish whatever they desire in life; defying the stereotypes that limit or confine them. The brand is enjoying a growing acceptance among young working-class women in Nigeria
“With a vision to create emotional connections and befriend every modern independent woman around the world in her journey towards success, Jay Traks RTW produces contemporary and Afrocentric pieces for the upwardly mobile woman that embraces her African body, giving her the right feeling of confidence and empowerment at work and beyond,” Said Trakiriowei
During this period, Jay Traks will get specialised services designed to help fashion brands build brand success. This includes, Brand Development and Marketing, Manufacturing Support as well as help in building worldclass business processes. The brand also gets market access support to showcase and sell at top Fashion Concept stores and events across Africa and Europe.