Miss Adaoro, daughter of Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has explained reasons behind her venturing into fashion.
She said her deep passion for fashion and creativity informed her decision, describing the business as lucrative, and encouraged others to join.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of the state, ahead of her event tagged “The Anambra Fashion Expo 2022”, Adaora, Founder of AURAH said all is set for the event, which he described as the biggest fashion carnivals in the South-East.
She said, “My interest in fashion started a long time ago. I have always loved fashion. Growing up, I loved to see the amazing textiles that we have across Nigeria; the different cultural outfit that we have.
“So, I grew up loving fashion. But I took a different route. I studied economics and quickly realised that it was not what I want to do. I definitely wanted to get out creative. I just decided to pursue my passion and that was fashion.
“Fashion is a very important thing within the creative space – music, fashion, beauty, lifestyle. These are all very, very big businesses across the world. Definitely in Nigeria, you see all our amazing designers that we have in Nigeria. So, yes, it is definitely a business that I’ll encourage more people to go into.”
She said the event is a brainchild of her clothing brand which has made incredible foray into Europe and America in the last couple of years.
She said, “The Anambra Fashion Expo, scheduled for September 16, is geared towards activating the fashion ecosystem in Anambra State and to give local talents in Anambra State and beyond an opportunity to embrace the global stage with their potential.
“The event, slated for Awka, will bring together the entire local fashion cycle in one place, with approximately 800 persons in attendance and millions of others who will follow virtually from all over the world.
The governor’s daughter explained that the event is designed to be the most glamorous celebrated show across the entire south-east landscape, with immense reward for participants.
“The Anambra Fashion Expo is one of her own way of supporting Governor Soludo’s Anambra-first policy. The show will reinvigorate Anambra’s entertainment and tourism base and rejig the interests of Anambra youths in fashion and productivity.
Also speaking, Head of Operations, Anambra Fashion Expo, Ejimofor Opara said the event would offer opportunities to celebrate the resilience of the Akwete women who have over the years ensured that the akwete fabric found a space on our fashion map.
“For this premier edition of AFE, we celebrate the ingenuity of the past, its influences on the present and the courage of daring the future.
“From the young innovative designer breaking all known norms and daring to innovate, to the women occupying the same stool as their forebearers had sat on hundred years ago, perfecting the act of weaving the beautiful Akwaete fabric, in the preservation of a century-old skill, we seek to connect our future to our past.
“To us, fashion is everlasting and ever-evolving. In-between time for all times.”
Opara further explained that the event would be divided into three segments: “The first is the exhibition which would be like a trade fare for everything fashion, and it would run from 8am to 6pm.
“The next is the Masterclass. It would commence at exactly 9am to 12pm and the final segment would be the fashion runway show, which would commence at exactly 3pm to 6pm.”
