The Chief Executive Officer Golden Hapto Couture, Mrs Onaolapo Olaoluwa Deborah, a woman of elegant, a vibrant entrepreneur with an exclusive clothing outfit. In this interview with OLUWASEUN SONDE, speaks on how clothing is important because it reflects an individual's culture, personality and preferences. Also fashion industry if well developed has the capacity of providing a variety of jobs to millions of Nigerians, especially the youth, reducing the high youth unemployment rates.
Why do you chose clothing as a profession?
I chose clothing because I love fashion. They say you are fashionable or know fashion when you are wearing what is in vogue or in season but they say you have got style when you add yourself all over what you are putting on. I love creativity and always love to be unique in my own way.
Fashion is a popular aesthetic expression in a certain time and context, especially in clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle and body proportions. Whereas, a trend often connotes a very specific aesthetic expression, and often lasting shorter than a season, fashion is a distinctive and industry-supported expression traditionally tied to the fashion season and collections.
Fashion make clothing important because it reflects an individual's culture, personality and preferences. People can use clothing to enhance personal appearance and protect the body from extreme temperatures and elements in various climates. People often form first impressions based on what a person wears.
They says "style is a way to say who you are without having to speak."
Tell us what make your clothing line stand out in the competitive market?
Observing various clothing fabrics, styled in different designs, I so much admired the traditional styles and possible tendencies that become the end results of fashion and style in Nigeria.
Most African countries are into fabric styles, and styling these clothes into different fashionable outfits is already an habit for men and women. Interestingly, these clothes make every occasion colorful.
The fashion concept of Nigerians have evolved through decades; the year in year out, I have adjusted to trending styles and designs while tageting the right people and sky has been my beginning.
Where do you see clothing line in the next ten years?
The records of man’s use of Textiles , dates back thousands of years. Our knowledge of the early development in textiles is very less as they are not evident through proper records. Textiles were first developed as a means for carrying food and as mats in shelter. Only in later stages it is used as clothing.
When early people realized they needed more than their own hair and skin to protect them from the weather, they looked around to see what was available. People lived in a cold climate, saw animals with skins that kept them warm. They hunted these animals for food and used the fur to cover their body.
So clothing plays an important role in our human society. Fashion also dominates the human beings status due to the acceptance of change in fashion occurs often and often. “Eat to your taste; but dress to others” is the phrase always used.
A well-dressed personality is ever welcomed with red carpet reception throughout the world. Human can survive a few days without eating food, but cannot without the dress. Clothing is important to our society of the human being living together. So ten years to come, clothing will be part of the nation's development.
What do you think government can do to support fashion industry or to encourage youths who chose to go into it?
The industry has the potential to diversify the Nigerian economy and become one of its main drivers, if Government and other stakeholders would invest and open up the opportunities to the pool of talents youth available in Nigeria.
Nigeria has large population base, 62 percent of which are 24 years and below this is a huge reservoir of potential talents, labour and consumer market. About 40% of her population is urban dwellers, containing a rich upper class and an increasing middle class whose spending power is decent. Nigerians know and love fashion from their travels, social events and media a good motivation for buying up brands.
Nollywood is a strong entertainment industry and offers a potential market for the Nigerian fashion industry. With the right investments it could contribute to the revitalisation of the garment and textile industries too. There are growing opportunities in the yearly fashion weeks organised both in Nigeria and internationally. Organisations like ECOWAS, British Council, etc. have become involved and they are identifying young talents and empowering them with trainings and tours of fashion weeks in the UK and other places.
The Lagos Fashion and Design Week in particular has facilitated the exposure of Nigerian designers to the world. The fashion industry if well developed has the capacity of generating many profitable companies and providing a variety of jobs to millions of Nigerians, especially the youth, reducing the high youth unemployment rates.
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