By Sewe Ishola,

Plans are in top gear to host the debut edition of the Face of Nigeria Fashion Festival (FONFEST) scheduled to hold in November this year.

The event, which is part of the Face of Nigeria project already endorsed by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture aims to showcase Made-in-Nigeria fashions and fabrics for the purposes of stimulating local and international patronage.

The idea is to create an annual platform for celebrating not only Nigeria’s textiles and apparels but also inspiring local market for Nigeria’s fashion designers.

According to a  statement issued by All Times Promotions, organisers of the festival, the theme of the festival scheduled to hold in Abuja, first week of November 2017, is “Enjoy Nigeria”

The statement further read that

“FONFEST would parade all fashion products made with Nigerian local materials. To be showcased are the beauties and flexibility of the textiles along with the exciting works of Nigerian fashion designers who are proving their ingenuity and capacity to compete favorably at the global fashion stable. Emerging fashion trends would dominate the focus, proving the magnificence and the budding qualities of Nigeria’s fashions. The target is- excite the market, excite patronage.  

In the past 10 years the fashion taste of Nigerians has gradually been changing for the better. As local fashion designers are growing in large numbers, so also the gradual demand for local fashions.

To inspire massive growth of the local fashion industry and the corresponding patronage of Nigerian textiles, there is need to continue to stimulate the market. There is need to motivate the taste for locally made fashions and need to encourage local fashion designers.”

The festival, which is a 3-day event involve a line of activities such as exhibitions and sales, ‘Wear Nigeria, ENjoy Nigeria’ Road-Walk, Conference and Fashion Shows.

The creation of the Face of Nigeria Fashion festival is in response to the call by President, Muhammadu Buhari, who while addressing the 22nd Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja themed: “Made-in-Nigeria” endorsed made in Nigeria goods saying it will build a strong foundation for the diversification of the country’s economy.  “We need to diversify the economy so that we never again have to rely on one commodity to survive as a country, so that we can produce the food we eat, make our own textiles, produce most of the things we use and create the right environment for our young people to be able to innovate and create jobs through technology” he told the summit.

Recently, the Federal Government approved Made in Nigeria official wears for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Photo credit:Facebook/FONFFEST