MTN, partners conclude auditions for Lagos Fashion and Design Week

Pic 1: L-R: Elizabeth Elohor Isiorho, Founder, Berth Models; Remi
Fagbohun, Founder, The Versatile Shopper; Dola Bamgboye, Regional
Marketing Manager, MTN Nigeria; and Omoyemi Akerele, Founder, Style
House Files, all panellists at the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week
audition in Lagos...Recently.
Leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, MTN, in partnership with Style House Files and the British Council Nigeria, has successfully concluded the regional auditions and interviews for theselection of 12 young models and 12 designers to feature at its high profile fashion and design event in October, the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week.
According to the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr.Kola Oyeyemi, the auditions which held in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos, respectively, attracted impressive number of brilliant models and designers out of whom no fewer than 19 promising models and 28 designers were chosen. Twelve of them in each category will be finally selected for the four-day show. For the MTN British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 13 semi-finalists were selected from the regional auditions.
The auditions, which took place at the British Council Offices in the cities of Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Lagos on the 25th and 26th of July, 28th and 29th of July and 2nd and 3rd of August respectively were hugely successful, according to Oyeyemi, who added that the auditions confirmed MTN’s belief that Nigeria is blessed with abundant talents in all fields of human endeavour.
No fewer than 50 young models and 30 young designers took part in the Port Harcourt auditions while about 60 young models and 43 young designers were screened in Abuja. As expected, Lagos enjoyed the most participation with over 120 models and 60 designers vying for the coveted awards and prizes in the different categories of the competition.
Oyeyemi said the impressive turnouts and the creativity of the designers at the three auditions were remarkable and made the selection process very rigorous. He added that at this point MTN and its partners on the project are satisfied with all the participants, including even those who did not make the shortlist. “It is very encouraging to see so many talented young people channelling their energy towards positive ends. MTN is proud to support this process,” said Oyeyemi.
He congratulated those who made the shortlist and urged them not to rest on their oars, while encouraging others who were not selected this time to work harder against future opportunities.
The MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week will hold from 26th through 30th of October, 2011, and will feature a combination of fashion and design-focused activities, talent hunt for international modeling contracts and Young Designer of the Year, as well as exhibitions of
creative works ranging from arts, interior designs, photography, and architecture to technology, among others.

Mrs. Omoyemi Akerele, Managing Director, Style House File, promoters of the event, said the shortlist of 19 models and 28 designers will be further screened and pruned to 12 finalists, who will take part in the fashion show with a chance to win the ultimate prize.
The winner of the Young Designer of the Year Award will be presented with a brand new Hyundai Car worth N4.5million by MTN. The MTN/British Council Creative Entrepreneur of the Year will win N1million cash prize also from MTN, while the British Council will sponsor the winner on a tour of the London Fashion and Design Industry, and to attend the London Fashion and Design Week. The MTN Model of the Year will also get N1million and a chance to enter for the Beth Model’s Elite Model Look Nigeria 2012. These winners according to Akerele will be decided at the upcoming MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week.
Mrs. Akerele said, “The 12 finalists will be announced at the end of August, 2011 and those who make the final list will undergo short, intensive training course which will be organised by the British Council.”
Some of the personalities that served on the panel of the regional auditions and road shows include: Mr. Kester Osahenye, Shehu Abubakar, Dola Bamgboye all of MTN Nigeria; Ijeoma Arguba, Olamipo Bello and Ojoma Ochia, all of British Council Nigeria. Others are Bisola Edun,
Creative Director, TAE, Wadami Amolegbe of HauteFashionAfrica.com.
Mrs. Omoyemi Akerele of Style House Files; Uche Eze, Founder of Bella Naija; Remi Fagbohun, founder of The Versatile Shopper; Folake Folarin-Coker of Tiffany Amber, and Elizabeth Elohor Isiorho of Berth Models.