MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week Awards 2012 Screenings: Check out who made the cut

 

L-R: Mrs. Bukola Kajero, Regional Manager, MTN Nigeria; Mrs. Ojoma Ochai, Assistant Country Director, British Council Nigeria; Mrs. Veronica Odeka, Creative Director, Vane Styles; and Mrs. Lanre Dasilva Ajayi, Creative Director, LDA at the Lagos audition.



The MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) will return to Lagos in October 2012. In addition to showcasing the best of the Spring/Summer collections from Nigeria’s premier designers, the week will once again end with The MTN LFDW Awards where cash awards will be given to the Young Designer of the Year, Young Creative Entrepreneur of The Year and the Young Model of The Year.

 

With the success of last year’s events still fresh in everyone’s minds, the MTN LFDW team couldn’t wait to start the journey to this year’s LFDW! Traveling to different parts of Nigeria to screen candidates for each category played a huge role in setting LFDW apart from other fashion events.  This year, judges travelled the country again looking for the future stars of the fashion industry. Port Harcourt, the Treasure Base City, was host to the first screenings.

It held at the Le Meridien, Ogeyi Place on August 8, the city welcomed the team with open arms. The LFDW Port Harcourt judges included Akpos Okudu, a MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week 2011 finalist; Ijeoma Arugba from British Council; Kestner Osahenye from MTN and Wadami Amolegbe of HauTeFashionAfrica.com.

Abuja, the capitol of Nigeria was the second city and second stop for the MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week Awards screenings. The LFDW team arrived on the August 10, 2012.

Denis Hotel was the venue and the “Center of Unity” was full of fashion creatives who brought their A game! Judges, Sephora Imomoh from British Council, Melvin Awolowo of XLR8 & Oyinkansola Momoh from Style House Files.

Lagos, the budding fashion city was last stop for the screenings. As expected, the metropolitan did not disappoint.

By far the most attended screening, the crowd gathered on August 13 at the British Council, a LFDW sponsor and the perfect venue for the “Center of Excellence".

The judges for the Lagos screenings were Mrs. Bukola Kajero; Mr. Ibobo Chukwuma; Ojoma Ochai from British Council; Veronica Odeka of Vanestyles, and fashion designer Lanre Dasilva Ajayi.

Each day of screenings went smoothly, with participant after participant, impressing the judges… and leaving them with very difficult decisions to make! Picking models, designers and those being considered for the Young Creative Entrepreneur category was NOT easy but the judges finally reached an agreement and nominated (in no particular order):

Young Designer Category:

•    Karen Jacobs

•    Chi 2 Rule

•    Chris Ambassador

•    Jules Puma

•    Omos Fashion

•    Kehinde Osotimehin

•    Tomilola Adewoye

•    Jennifer Adighije

•    Wisdome Anaba

•    Agu Anumudu

•    Ponmile Olawoye

•    Uju Offiah

•    Isi Atagamen

•    Udiminwe Joshua

•    Okoro Onyebuchi

•    Wana Sambo

Young Creative Entrepreneur Category:

•    Ogo Atariete

•    Olajide Okerayi

•    Isoken Ogiemwonyi (Co-owner of Retail Store - L’espace)

Yusuf Kolawole Kuddus of Kola Kuddus, was the 1st finalist for the YCE awards, and took home the Blackberry 9230, a gift from MTN LFDW sponsors, Blackberry.

Young Models Category:

•    Belta

•    Naomi

•    Jummai

•    Ezime

The models who were shortlisted at the Lagos screenings are still being reviewed and will be called for the final casting held by Beth Models.

While it’s always so great to meet so many talented Nigerians, everyone is excited that the finalists for this year’s MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week Awards have been chosen. Remember each finalist has a chance to win the following in their category:

•    MTN British Council Young Designer of the Year (YDE), which includes a cash prize of N4,000,000, business mentoring and capacity building working workshops.

•    MTN British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur of the Year (YCE), which includes  a cash prize of N2,000,000 and a tour of the London Fashion week.

•    MTN Young Model of the Year which includes a cash prize of N1,000,000 and a modeling contract.

About LFDW:

The Lagos Fashion and Design Week is a premiere fashion event taking place in October 2012, which aims to drive the Nigerian fashion economy and lift its profile with the industry by bringing together buyers, consumers and the media to view the current collections of designers in the fashion capital of Lagos, Nigeria.