Women
Rivers Launches Into World Fashion Map …As Native, Vogue Debuts
Rivers State, particularly its capital, Port Harcourt is set for a place in the world Fashion map following the unveiling of the Port Harcourt International Fashion Week 2013, christened ‘Native & Vogue’.
The Native & Vogue project is a three-day fashion week, scheduled for between September 20th and 22nd in Port Harcourt, which will subsequently become an annual event, is expected to bring together already established fashion designers from Nigeria and beyond, and up coming talents from Rivers State to showcase their various creations.
The platform will also serve as a spring board for the up coming designers to undergo tutelage under already established designers.
According to the Rivers State Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semeritari, while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the government is powering the project in partnership with the public sector becuase of its commitment to restore the state to its lost glory and make it a destination of choice for Business, Tourism, Fashion and Entertainment.
She said that Port Harcourt used to be centre of attraction but in the recent past slipped away from reckoning. But as the Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s administration is rebranding, it is looking at the elements of change and focusing on the creative economy to attract more people to the state.
The Native & Vogue is therefore, she said, a platform to harmonize the energy of Rivers’ young people, provide them with new opportunities to express themselves and show what is new in the state.
“We’re in the corridor of where fashion came to this part of the world and Rivers people are very fashionable, the Native & Vogue would showcase designers in Port Harcourt, take the best of Rivers and beyond and present to the world”, she said.
Indeed, everybody involved in fashion, from designers, models, stylists to jewelry makers etc, everyone has space to participate and tap into the unlimited opportunities.
Former Miss World, Agbani Darego and over 60 local and foreign models will be part of the event.
The three day event will have segments for Meet & Greet, Exhibitions, Fashion Shows, Workshops and Fashion Competitions.
Prior to the event, the organisers are inviting entries from Models for the face of the Native & Vogue, male and female, who will win the sum of N599,999 prize money each.
Also, the week will witness a fashion competition for up coming designers between the ages of 18 and 40 years, who must be Rivers State indigenes or residents with proof of tax payments for taxable adults or otherwise.
Winners of this competition will be rewarded with an all expenses paid six months scholarship to the reputable Vukani Fashion School in South Africa.
The Rivers State government is partnering with three major players in the fashion sector, Neo-Mantra Limited, the principal event handler, Frank Osodis Bunor Creazioni, a key resource person and Vanguard’s Allure Magazine, the principal media partner.
However, participation and sponsorship are key as other four levels of sponsorships are available – platinum sponsor – N40m and above, Gold Sponsor – N30m and above, Silver Sponors – N20m and above and Bronze Sponsor – N10m and above.
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
