Tope Olanre- Alade, a graduate of English from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, is the Creative Director of Ibile Vogue, an Afropolitan clothing line designed to give the afro-cultural heritage a voice in the global fashion orchestral, rector of Ibile Vogue Academy and the presenter of Obirin Asiko on Orisun Television. In this interview with TAYO GESINDE in Lagos, the award-winning designer, who is currently the National Secretary General of the Nigerian Fashion Designers Association (FADAN), speaks on her love for designing and the Nigerian fashion industry among sundry issues. Excerpts:
Foray into fashion design
Being a creative person who loves to sketch and design, I wanted to study Fine Art in the university but my mum wanted me to study medicine. After much struggle, I decided to study English. Due to my love for art, I was going to an art gallery to paint and that really affected my GPA in the first and second year. I later made up my mind to face my studies squarely. When I got to my final year in 1998, there was political crisis in the country and our school was shut down for about 11 months. Instead of staying at home doing nothing I went to Margarita Institute of Fashion Designing, I really did well that I impressed my boss. After I graduated from OAU, I served in a secondary school. When I finished service, I did not get a job on time, so while, I was searching for job, I was always doing something creative in between. I later got a job in a bank. I became a banker because bankers dress well, so in essence, I went into banking for a wrong reason and that was why I failed as a banker, I lost my job a few years. That was when I told myself it was time to follow my passion. That was how I went and enrolled at Nobel Afrique Fashion School. When I finished my training, I decided to start a fashion business. When I told my husband, he didn’t take me serious and there was nobody to borrow me money. So, I started my fashion business in our sitting room with a borrowed machine that was 13 years ago. The machine was given to my friend when she was getting married as eru iyawo but she was not using it. I used the machine and after some time, that single machine increased to eight because each time I made profit I would use it to invest in machines. At a point when my husband was tired of sitting on pins injuring him, he got an office for me. I started making profits and getting awards. I won Best Designer of the Year 2009, CEPAN African Icon Award 2010 and many more.
Challenges faced
The first challenge was finance because I cannot say acceptance because my family and friends already loved my dress sense, so it was easy for me to convince them to give their clothes to me. Whenever people gave me a compliment, I used that opportunity to advertise my job so it was very easy for me to get clients. But talking about finance, I did not have money to start my business but as a wise woman, I knew how I was managing things because my husband always gave housekeep allowance. I would then divide it into two, buy food stuff with half and use the remaining half to run my business. And when we run out of stuff, I would use the profit I made to restock. No one gave me money to start my business. That’s why I always tell people that no one can stop you, only you can stop yourself.
Why I named my business Ibile Vogue
Because I love African fabric, I like working with African fabrics. I love local things, I am unapologetically African, every single side of my work has a touch of Africa in it.
Carving a niche for myself
By sticking to what I believe in, afro-centric design, that is what we have been doing.
Coping with competition
Though I was not afraid of the established designers we had when I was starting out, at the same time, I saw them as a big challenge because they made me realise that I still have a long way to go. So each time I travelled outside the shores of Nigeria, I always take a course that will enhance my career, especially when I started training others because what you don’t have, you can’t give. I respect my senior colleagues because they know more than I do. Today, I have people who look up to me too, I always tell them that if you pay the price you should stand well. So, for me, they are not a threat but more of encouragement and challenge to me.
Fabrics I love working with
I love Ankara, adire and aso-oke. I could make an ankara dress and the band is aso-oke or the corset area will be aso-oke, so, I can work with any African fabric like ‘kigipa’ and others. I use lace sometimes too, I could mix lace with aso-oke. We also use African fabrics to make accessories, such as ties, iPad cases and even make wedding gowns with aso-oke. In my home, throw pillows are adire and even my pot holders are ankara as well as my bathroom curtains. For me, it is more than a business but more like a campaign, trying to encourage people to use these fabrics not only for fashion but to give the African cultural heritage a voice on the global scene. We should be proud of what we have. I feel so bad when I see people who are so much into Western dresses. To me, they are feeling inferior, if you are proud of your root then show it. The irony is that those abroad appreciate our dresses more.
Participation at show outside Nigeria
Yes, I have been to South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana.
Comparing Nigerian designers to their counterparts abroad
It is not easy to make dresses. The problem we have in Nigeria is that our industries are not well organised because as a designer, you do everything. I am more of a wardrobe consultant than a dress maker because I need to know about my business since those that you hire may call your bluff one day. If you don’t know your onions, you will have problems. Fashion designers create designs, they are not meant to copy from magazines. I create my designs because I am a very creative person and I am not even afraid of people copying me because I see myself as a trendsetter. But in our industry you are the designer, you do the cuttings, do the tailoring and even the market yourself, you are also the debt recovery person. It is crazy so, that is why we are not doing so well. We are supposed to be specialising in different areas but we are combining everything and that is killing. That is why I always say that Nigerian designers are really trying. I think we are doing better because we raise the capital ourselves; the government is not giving us support. So, if most of us are not passionate about it, we would have run away from it. That is why I always encourage designers, I don’t join people to criticise any designer because by doing so you are putting off the little confidence they have in them, the environment already is frustrating.
Assessment of the Nigerian fashion industry
Like I said, we are trying our best. If you compare us with designers abroad, then you are not fair to us because they are not working under the same condition with us. Two days ago when I went to the office I found my generator outside while the generator of two others were stolen and we have a security officer who had slept off, so tell me, If you got to your office and found out that your generator was missing and there was no electricity to power your machine, won’t you disappoint your client for that day? There are lots of issues but we are really trying.
Combining the home front with my career
I can attribute the successes I have been recording in the two areas to God and my husband. I have a very supportive husband. He is always there for me. He is more like a best friend or I call him my pillar. My two boys too help where they can. Sometimes, when I am too tired to cook, they will make noodles and fry egg because they are grownups. The three men in my life have been quite understanding and supportive.
Definition of style
For me, I will say style is an individual thing or the way you do things. Fashion wise, I always say style is knowing when and how to wear something. If you are a woman of style then, you don’t wear what is in vogue, rather, you wear what will suit your body . So style is all about the way you talk and the way you dress.
Beauty regimen
I don’t really have a beauty regimen. I don’t eat late at night. I eat one major meal a day and I shower a lot.
What I will like to change about myself
I really love myself, my skin and colour. I love the way God created me and I can’t go for any cosmetic surgery or toning. Besides, I only makeup when I have an event to attend. And I always make sure I use colours that will suit my skin.
My favourite colours
Green, brown and orange. Orange inspires me a lot.
What I won’t be caught dead wearing
I can’t wear only Western dresses and accessories. If I wear a Western dress, then I must wear a pair of shoes and bag made from ankara, because I am proud of my culture.
Advice for women
They should look as natural as possible because God has created them well. Also, they should respect their skin. When they keep their skin natural, they will not age easily. Also, when dressing, learn to hide your flaws. If you have spot on your legs, keep wearing trousers or long dresses to prevent seeing the spots.
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