BOP NETWORKS X LAGOS FASHION WEEK 2019

Topic

REIMAGINING IDENTITY THROUGH FASHION AND PHOTOGRAPHY.

The panel will feature 5 stakeholders within the African fashion and photography industry which includes; Arieta Mujay, Adia Sowho, Stephen Tayo, Ozinna Anumudu and Adebayo Oke Lawal.

Our aim is to educate and inspire young photographers and designers on how they can start and continue to propose original narratives within their chosen fields while also maintaining financial sustainability.

Using expertise and experiences from established industry stakeholders, we hope more creative talent can attempt more innovative paths within their creative sectors.

Arieta Mujay is  a fashion creative, curator  and marketing consultant  that has worked In various capacities for 15 years across the UK and Africa

Starting out as a window dresser for GAP which allowed her access to seeing how looks are pulled together as worldwide GAP is applauded or their fabulous and consistent windows, while working as a window dresser for GAP in Brighton she started to get involved in styling.

Getting back to London, she started to assist a few veteran stylists and PR Guru Sarah Walter on a weekly basis while working as a visual merchandiser and fitting room stylist. She also got work experience at fashion magazines like RED, Just 19, Sneak and smash hits in the UK as the fashion intern.

She then moved on to fashion PR and worked as press officer for New look on the UK high street but still styled part-time, Arieta rose to the position of PR Manager before leaving the company for another High street Brand River Island where her duties included running the PR Department, being the fashion Editor of the River Island In store Magazine as well as shoot director and stylist for some of the online e-commerce content.

Arieta has styled a host of celebrities from Boy bands to TV presenters like Myleen Klass, June Sarpong, and supermodels Oluchi, LiyaKadebe, Tyson Beckford while working as a stylist for Arise Magazine. Other Celebrity clients and jobs include, styling Kelis as face of River Island sponsored Graduate fashion week 2009, and Amber Le Bon in 2010. Arieta also styledKelly Rowland, Alesha Dixon, Pixie Lott and Lily Allen for the Princes trust.

She has styled Look books for Renowned African designers Deola Sagoes Spring/Summer 2007 look book, Tiffany Amber Spring Summer 12 look book as well as acting as Brand advisor for both.

Arieta also styled and worked on the 1st Arise Magazine fashion show in the UK in 2008, worked as stylist for Deola Sagoe’s collection at AFI International fashion week in Johannesburg 2010 during the world cup as well as stylist and event PR for Tiffany Amber’s presentation at London Fashion Week in Sept 2011.

As head of PR UK for River Island, Arietaworked closely on the Rihanna for River Island collaboration and got to go on the 777 tour, a life changing experience. She also worked with the British Fashion Council to bring the collection to be shown at the SS13/AW13 shows as well as kick off the Fash/ON Film festival during London fashion week.

In 2012, She embarked on a sabbatical across Africa visiting 9 countries in 4 weeks to get an understanding of the business of fashion on the continent as well as reconnect with designers she had worked with at various fashion week’s on the continent. Since then, Arieta has continued to work on Lagos Fashion and Design week either as the head stylist or in a production capacity, as the creative director of Gabaronefashion week in Bostwana and as a panelist at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg.

In 2013, Arieta launched African creative collective a PR and brand consultancy with the sole aim of nurturing African creative talent in the UK and as an advisor to brand and retailers who are interested in activations across the continent. Companies she has consulted for include, Unilever, the UK TRADE AND INVESTMENT where she wrote a paper on the opportunities in Nigerian Retail and most recently the Ethical Fashion Initiative, which is an incentive of the United Nations. Brands worked with at ACC include, ChichiaLondon, OrangeCulture, Ominislondon and Josh&Nicol.

Working with Kathy Shanoy of Shake-the-dust and Baroness Lola Young, Arieta has set up a series of talks with creative influential’s from Africa and the diaspora called “In conversation with” held at the House of Lords.

Arieta is a reviewer and contributor for Cosmopolitan Magazine’s online platform, a mentor to young businesses and an avid supporter of female empowerment.

Currently working on a passion project on the fashion industry in Africa which should be released in 2020.

Ozinna Anumudu is passionate about two things – fashion & branding. Having secured a bachelor’s degree in Economics in The United States, she pursued a masters in a field she was more passionate about, Communication, in Paris. Thereafter, she relocated to Nigeria and has created a niche market for herself with branding & the Nigerian Fashion Industry in under three years.

Zina is the founder of brand management company, The Style Concierge, which caters to creatives & businesses in the fashion & lifestyle industry. Ozinna.com serves as a medium for Zina to share her work, her fashion, her life and everything in between.

Adebayo Oke-Lawal has been designing since the age of 10, and launched his own line, Orange Culture, in 2011. Trained as a banker with no formal fashion education, he taught himself to sew throughout internships with various designers before debuting his inaugural collection in at 2011 Lagos Fashion & Design Week. Since its launch, the brand has offered universal silhouettes with an African touch that have drawn attention both on the designer’s home continent as well as on an international stage. In 2014, Orange Culture was a finalist for the LVMH Prize, and as the brand evolves, Oke-Lawal continues to create androgynous looks that are defined by a mixture of Nigerian-inspired prints and contemporary urban streetwear.

To date, Orange Culture has collaborated with international brands such as Dennis Osadebe, Rokus London, and Maxivive, and recently, Oke-Lawal partnered with Nigerian artist Davido to design a limited-edition collection that was sold exclusively at Selfridges. Drawing inspiration from his country and his heritage, Oke-Lawal has created a truly Nigerian line with an international appeal.

Stephen Tayo is a vault of unbridled raw talent and vibrant energy. He has made a name for himself by turning the mundane into art.

With his incredible eye, Tayo manages to capture the beauty of daily life in Lagos and find style in the most unexpected places. From photographing young boys on the beach in incongruous designer sunglasses to snapping Auntys heading to church in their formidable geles, Tayo’s images strike a chord.

This Lagos-based Nigerian photographer’s works have gained appearance in It’s Nice ThatINDIE magazine and Coeval Magazine and he has also worked with Poppy Lissiman and ALARA Lagos.

Adia Sowho is the Managing Director/ VP of Growth at Mines, a fintech
company founded in 2014 which provides a digital platform that enables
institutions such as banks, telcos and retailers in emerging markets to offer
credit products to their customers with no smartphones required.

Prior to this position, she was the Director of Digital Business at 9mobile
(formerly Etisalat Nigeria) where she partnered with startups to deliver mobile
content, advertising, financial and API services resulting in a 10x revenue
growth during her time there.

She started her career as a Radio Frequency Engineer at a US mobile operator
called U.S. Cellular. After obtaining an MBA from the Kellogg School of
Management and a stint as a management consultant at Deloitte Consulting’s
Chicago office, she returned home to Nigeria.

Adia is passionate about using technology to address problems ranging from
entertainment to financial services. She believes that in today’s world much
can be achieved through intelligent technology and a ferocious hunger for
change. An Electronic and Electrical Engineer by training, problem-solving is at
her core. She believes that true digital transformation rests in the hands of
local entrepreneurs with localized solutions that are achievable primarily
through collaboration.

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