THE DESIGNERS DAY 1
I f there is one man that has invested hugely in making African designers more prominent on the global stage, it is none other but the face behind the ARISE Fashion Week brand, Chairman THISDAY Newspapers and ARISE Media, Nduka Obaigbena. He has painstakingly built a phenomenal brand that showcases the best of Africa’s talent.
This is by no means a small feat not just because of the millions of dollars invested in every show, but also because of the work involved in putting a show of such magnitude together. People only see the glamour, they do not see the backstory where the sweat and labour is involved. Nduka has never compromised on quality of delivery and spares no expense to ensure every venture lives up to expectations. This last ARISE Fashion Week 2020,‘30 Under 30’was no different as Obaigbena pulled all strings to present a spectacular virtual event that took the world by storm! He decided to do something new. Something different. And 30 lucky designers were given the chance of a lifetime to partake in this journey of discovery and creation of awareness of their brands. Some were emerging designers and others more known but the cause was the same - aspiring for global relevance. What made this latest venture even more poignant was the monetary gift packages of $5,000 all the participants got for their efforts. Obaigbena also footed their bills for traveling, accommodation and feeding, something very unique in Africa because such luxury is not given in any other show of such magnitude. Nduka understands how impactful such gesture is in the lives of these young designers. For those even luckier to have won much larger prices, it is a life changing moment! Some designers in the top eight, before the last three, have vowed to return next year to win the coveted price of$100,000.
This, is what gives Obaigbena and the ARISE team the utmost pleasure. This, is what inspires him to surge ahead in this industry. This, is what the AFW brand is all about. Discovering designers and models who have gotten global recognition through their participance with the AFW brand. Models have been signed up internationally as have designers who have gone on to cloth global celebrities through the same brand.
Nduka continues to play a very pivotal role in changing the African narrative and has used his platforms to highlight the talents within our midst. If there is anyone that deserves a standing ovation for his singular effort and the brain behind these ventures, it is him. For him, no cost is too high to showcase the richness and diversity of our culture through our music, our clothes and our narrative.