This weekend the media-sphere and social media has been buzzing for Folake Coker who celebrated 15 years in the fashion industry with a grand event on Saturday 11th October, 2014, at the Art Twenty One Gallery of the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In November 1998, Folake Coker launched Tiffany Amber Nigeria Limited, the first ready-to-wear label in Nigeria, revolutionizing Nigerian fashion and paving the way for the industry we know and love today.
Fast forward 15 years and what you have is a luxurious lifestyle brand that transcends the whole of Africa with outstanding global recognition.
To celebrate this monumental occasion, The 15th anniversary celebrations kick off in October with the unveiling of the Tiffany Amber, “Meet Nigeria’s Women of Vision” campaign, in perfect partnership with Diamond Woman– an initiative by Diamond Bank.
Meet The Women Of Vision
Adenike Ogunlesi
Adenike Ogunlesi is best known as the founder and Chief Responsibility Officer of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, the foremost indigenous lifestyle brand operating to international standards in the design, production, and retail of children’s fashion for boys and girls from new born to sixteen years old.
Adesuwa Onyenokwe
Adesuwa Onyenokwe (Mrs) has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dramatics arts from the University of Ife, and a Masters in language arts from the University of Ibadan and has practiced journalism in the broadcast segment for over twenty-five years and four years in the print media, in Nigeria.
Added to her portfolio is the recent foray into publishing, via a lifestyle magazine, TW, as publisher and editor in chief.
Cuppy Otedola
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Cuppy has become a female forefront for African DJ’s. Cuppy began by playing the piano, after which she ventured into beat making and thereafter Disc Jockeying. At 17, she had already become a household name playing at some of London’s top nightclubs and events including various Fashion Week fixtures. She’s also played at well-‐known events in Paris, New York, and Dubai.
In 2014, Cuppy was appointed a Tourism Ambassador for Nigeria by the Federal Ministry for Culture and Tourism.
Eku Edewor
Eku Edewor is an actress, television personality and host of the award-winning entertainment show, 53 Extra – which showcases the latest in music, film, fashion and red carpet events across the African continent. Whether gracing the covers of magazines, interviewing stars or performing on screen, Eku has established herself firmly in the African entertainment industry as a talent on the rise.
Born in London, England to Nigerian and British parents, Eku was raised between London and Nigeria – an experience that granted her the privilege of being exposed to two vastly different environments.
Funke Opeke
Ms. Funke Opeke, is founder and CEO of Main One. Main One is a telecommunications solutions provider that built West Africa’s first privately owned, submarine cable system interconnecting Lagos, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; and Seixal, Portugal.
Ifeyinwa Ighodalo
With experience in the furniture industry dating as far as 1981, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo has worked in and run various furniture manufacturing and interior design companies, including Coonita, Casafina Furniture Company and Design Options, which she co- founded in 1987 and helped establish as the preferred choice and one- stop shop for furniture and interior design solutions in Nigeria.
Maryam A Augie
Maryam A Augie holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Ehsal University, Brussels. She is currently the Executive Director Ayahay Foundation, her advocacy in the areas of education and girl child empowerment in Nigeria has received critical acclaim, the league of Association bestowed on her an award for manpower development in 2013.
Ola Orekunrin
Dr. Ola Orekunrin is a medical doctor, a trainee helicopter pilot and an entrepreneur who founded West Africa’s first indigenous air ambulance service, the Flying Doctors Nigeria, which saves hundreds of lives across the region every year especially in the oil and gas industry, rendering medical evacuation services, remote site clinic management, First Aid Training and other medical solutions to make work safer in the industry.
Jumoke Oduwole
Dr Jumoke Oduwole is a lecturer at the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, her Alma Mata. She is an elected member of the University’s Senate.
Dr. Oduwole was the founding Executive Director of The Kuramo Foundation Ltd Gte, a law and development non-profit closely affiliated with the Lagos State Government.
In May 2014, Oduwole headed a technical sub-committee in charge of volunteers for the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, which was held in Nigeria for the first time. She is co-founder of “No Limits,” a platform for inspiring and instilling leadership values in Nigerian youth, and she was the only female judge for the premier season of “The Next Titan,” a nation-wide reality television show geared at encouraging entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth as an answer to chronic youth unemployment.
Oluchi Orlandi
With over a decade of experience in the fashion industry; spanning a career from winning Mnet’s Face of Africa in 1998 at the young age of 17, gracing the covers of top Fashion Magazine’s such as Italian Vogue; serving as the face of campaigns like Victoria’s Secret, and being shot by the world’s most renowned photographers including Steven Meisel, there’s no denying of Oluchi Orlandi (nee Onweagba) as an African Fashion Icon.
In 2013, still true to her passion for discovering, this New York University BA holder, wife and Mother of two has taken on an exciting project, working on ‘Africa’s Next Top Model’ bring the prestigious modeling competition TV show and Tyra Banks Franchise to Africa.
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde MFR aka OmoT, popularly called Omosexy is a multiple award winning Nigerian actress, Director, Singer, UNWFP ambassador and Amnesty international activist. Cited by CNN as an example of the 5th sexiest accent in the world, the Screen Nation Best actress and Beffta Film Icon is one of the most Intriguing women to ever grace the African screen.
She has equally won over forty (40) local and international awards. Recently honored by Silverbird Group with the “Silverbird Unique personality award 2013” (s.u.p.a). Omotola was in February 2013 honoured by TIME magazine as one of 100 most influential people in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, JayZ and Beyonce.
Omotola in 2012 launched her own Reality show, Omotola: The Real Me. It broke Records at it’s first showing as the Most Viewed programme Ever on Africa Magic.
Omoyemi Akerele
Founder and artistic director of Style House Files, a creative development agency for Nigerian and African designers, Omoyemi Akerele is widely regarded as a driving force behind the burgeoning Nigerian fashion industry.
Founded by Akerele in 2011, LFDW runs a four day schedule featuring a select list of talented up and coming designers and fashion entrepreneurs. Partnered with the British Fashion Council, the show has been instrumental in raising the profile of the Nigerian fashion industry, and has drawn international attention and acclaim from journalists such as Suzy Menkes and Cristina Manfredi, as well as attracting a host of international buyers.
Peju Alatise
She is also an architect and an accomplished writer having published 2 fictional novels; of which her first novel was first runner up for Female Writer 2006, Flora Nwakpa Prize by Association of Nigerian Authors. Peju has practiced as a studio artist for 16 years and is widely exhibited in Nigeria and abroad. Her work has evolved from its focus on the joys and pains of womanhood against the negating influences of local traditions to philosophy and contemporary African politics.
She has won several awards for her art and writing, including a letter of commendation by the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria for a job well done in Obudu Cattle Ranch commissions in 2007. She is best recognized for her famous art installation at the New Radisson Blu hotel and GTBank Head office both in Victoria Island Lagos.
Uche Majekodunmi
Ogbuefi Wereuche Okaru Majekodunmi is the Executive Director and prime mover of the idea resulting in what has become Newton and David. She founded the company in the year 1991, by turning her passion and hobby into business. Uche Majekodunmi as she is often called acquired her formal qualifications in Theater and Dramatic Arts and a Masters Degree in Public Administrations.
She trained with the renowned Mary Adams florist in Knights Bridge, West London and subsequently did a brief course at Paula Pryke Flowers of Islington North London and has further honed her innate talent by participation in workshops, seminars and other event related subjects dealing with every conceivable aspect of Newton and David’s chosen field.
Uche Pedro
Uche Pedro has most recently been named as one of the ’30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs In Africa in 2014′ by Forbes. She is the Managing Director of BellaNaija and Creative Director of BellaNaija.com, an online company that develops and manages exciting online media content aimed at Pan-African and Nigerian audiences.
In 2011, she was selected as a Nigeria Leadership Initiative – NLI Associate, a prestigious distinction for young outstanding Nigerians. In January 2011, Uche was honoured as a “Young Person of the Year” finalist at the Future Awards – the most esteemed youth awards organization in Nigeria. In February 2011, her company was chosen as one of 50 high potential Nigerian SMEs, and was awarded a British Airways Opportunity Grant. In September 2011, Uche was awarded the TW Magazine Protégé Award for Business Entrepreneurship, while in 2012 BellaNaija.com also won the Online Publication of the Year award at the FAB Awards.
Shoot Credits
Photography: Philip Trimmel Productions
Make-Up: Bimpe Onakoya for Maybelline NY
Hair: Dark & Lovely
Location: Art Twenty One Gallery
Shoes by Florence H
Source: Onobello