April 21, (THEWILL)- Ifiokobong Akan, who runs the popular fashion brand, House of Borah, speaks with IVORY UKONU about fulfilling her destiny through her craft and her calling to make a difference in people’s lives through her speaking engagements and her acts of charity. Excerpts:
You recently clocked 10 years in the fashion industry. How has it been?
It has been amazing; a lot of lessons have been learnt. It has not been easy living as a mother, wife and businessperson. Of course, there have been disappointments, tears and struggles. You know doing business in Nigeria is not easy. There are lots of internal and external forces struggling to bring your business down. Sometimes it could be government policies, lack of basic infrastructures, etc. Everything I do, I do it in fear and give it my best. It has actually not been easy, but it has been worth it. However, we are called here to fulfill destiny and so I see my being a fashion designer as a destiny that I must fulfill and when you are fulfilling destiny, you do not give up. So in commemoration of my 10 years as a fashion designer, I decided to chronicle my journey in the fashion industry with the book ‘In the fabric of Fashion’.
The book is basically about me telling my story and affirming that I am here to stay for a long period. I realise Africans aren’t adept at telling their unique stories. So, the book is just me putting the bits and pieces of what I had to go through to build a fashion brand, the difficulties and strategies that I used to succeed because you cannot build any brand without putting some modalities in place. Also being a wife, a mother and an entrepreneur and having to also build the brand in the city of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in a city where fashion wasn’t really reckoned with, so to speak, a place where I came and changed the dynamics of what they hitherto felt was fashion and how they used to see fashion designers. This book is important because I speak in various fora and people ask me a lot of questions, especially about my story. They want to know how I have been able to navigate my way through the different facets of my life. So I thought, why not just put all the answers to these questions down in a book so I can easily refer people to read the book for each question I get asked.
Why is the book important for fashion designers?
It is a fashion blueprint that will be useful for newbies, aspiring fashion designers and veterans. Many chapters in the book are dedicated to fashion entrepreneurs. I mentioned some of the exclusive places I source my fabrics, relatable stories in the fashion industries. I also talked about style preferences, how people should just make designs that stand out as there will always be someone who will like them. A lot of times, fashion designers think people are only interested in a particular design, not knowing that fashion is so versatile. Fashion designers should just embrace their creativity and not limit themselves. Fashion is one of the basic necessities of life. So, whether you like it or not, people will always wear clothes. Why limit yourself?
What is the ultimate take-away from the book?
I talked about us, humans, being the light of the world. God has called us to be the light of the world. We are like a city built on a hilltop which cannot be hidden and so we should let our light shine according to Mathew Chapter 5. I think people are not really shining their light because they are timid, they fear the unknown and fear that people will not accept them for who they are and what they are doing. We cannot be a city set on a hill and be hidden or lack creativity. So it means we need to study to show ourselves approved. We have value to bring to the world and so we have to keep inspiring other people. That is why we are here on earth. So this book is me telling people, it is time to shine, break away from that mindset of thinking little. It is time for them to tell their story because the world needs to hear their stories. That is how they can shape their narratives. A lot of people who have different perceptions about African entrepreneurs and what we do. So I believe we need to talk more and shine more. Let Africa as a whole know that there is something happening here. Let us be more of what God has created us to be. It is more or less like propagating the gospel.
How did your love for fashion begin?
Fashion has always been my core interest. It is my love for fashion that made me go into it in the first place. I love fashion. I think it is what every human being should do. It is vast like oil and gas. People will always wear clothes.
What would you consider to be your greatest achievement since becoming a fashion designer?
I am actually a work-in-progress, but one of my greatest achievements will be launching this book because it is huge, especially as many people have told me that I inspire them through what I do.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I am already global. I see myself telling more of my African stories. Through this book, I am already spreading light and I think in the next 10 years, I will see more people coming out being themselves, living their essence and telling their stories and being who God called them to be. It may not be in the fashion world though.
What else do you do besides fashion?
I am into real estate as well. I am also, like I mentioned before, a mentor and a coach to a lot of people. I enjoy writing as well. I am a speech writer. I write a lot of speeches for my husband and his politician friends.
How would you compare fashion 10 years ago with what is obtainable today?
It is absolutely amazing now. The new generation of fashion designers, the Generation Zs or GenZs are doing so well and they are really changing a lot and bringing a lot of dynamics into the game. Designs that seemed to look a bit difficult in those days are being done with ease by these new designers. They are really making it known that people can get the best of masterpieces in days, hours. I love their creativity. I also love their collaborative spirit.
The older ones didn’t do much collaborations, didn’t know how to mentor and coach, preferring only to shine alone. I don’t believe fashion should be limited because I have seen some of the GenZs not getting it right because they are burning out trying to do a particular style and also trying to do different things at the same time. I think they should moderate things. There is so much that can come out of the fashion industry.
Unfortunately, we have no support system. The Bank of Industry, BOI, should be there for us, I am sorry I don’t know what they are really doing. They stressed out some of my mentees who experienced difficulties when they tried to apply for loans. The government needs to regulate the industry because there is so much that can be harnessed from the industry. The industry growth hasn’t been bad but it can be better.
Are you a member of any fashion association?
I was once a member of the Fashion Designer Association of Nigeria, FADAN, but I quit because in my opinion, it was not well regulated. So now there is one in Akwa Ibom called Akwa Ibom State Professional Fashion Designers and Tailors Guild. That works for me as we support ourselves by sponsoring upcoming fashion entrepreneurs.
What is your mentorship and humanitarian platform called?
‘I Exude’ humanitarian foundation where I do a lot of empowerment to deserving individuals. I also have a lot of social media platforms where I get to talk to people and impart knowledge. It is what I do for fun.
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