September 13, (THEWILL) – To showcase the unique creativity prowess of Nigerian Milliners, promote the sector and celebrate great Milliners in the industry, Milliners Association of Nigeria (MIAN) has concluded plans to host the 4th edition of the yearly event of the Nigerian Hat Exhibition on October 9th, 2021.
Milliners Association of Nigeria is a body of creative and professional Milliners ,with same vision to place Nigeria Millinery on the world map and bring it to global recognition.
It would be recalled that since the mass-manufacturing of hats began, the term milliner is usually used to describe a person who applies traditional hand-craftsmanship to design, make, sell or trim hats primarily for a mostly female clientele.
In the past three years, Milliners across the nation, including practitioners from Ghana and other neighbouring countries, have come together at the yearly event of the Nigerian Hat Exhibition to showcase their work portfolio.
Speaking on their preparedness for the upcoming exhibition, Founder, Milliners Association of Nigeria, Folake Oladipupo Okunaiya said, this year’s Hat Exhibition scheduled to hold at Nelo’s Place, Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Ikeja, Lagos will be the 4th edition, adding that the exhibition is going to be bigger and better as Nigerian Milliners expect to showcase the best of their works and unveil their new collections.
With a membership strength of over 300 Milliners cutting across, about eleven states and a few Nigerian Milliners from other African countries as part of it’s members, Okunaiya who is also a Creative Director at Belle Signature, said the association has five physical chapters which include: Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos State.
Each chapter according to the President, is saddled with the responsibilities of creating an enabling work environment for each of it’s members by working together, collaborating, organising trainings , seminars and workshops so as to encourage unity and synergy.
On what exhibitors stand to gain from the upcoming Hat Exhibition, Okunaiya hinted that “As exhibitors, there is a huge opportunity to showcase our millinery pieces to prospective clients
We also have the opportunity to expose our brands to the world through the media. We are also expecting organisations, agencies and government officials who are willing to support our industry to be involved. By so doing, they will have access to meet every exhibitor at the Exhibition”.
The Convener , made it clear that the target audience at this year’s Hat Exhibition are dignitaries from all works of life , Directors of Companies , Ministries focused on women and entrepreneurs. Others are banks, including Bank of Industry (BoI), representatives from Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), media organisations, fashion lovers, most importantly lovers of Millinery.
She assured, the association is expecting exhibitors from different states to participate at the 2021 Hat Exhibition, adding that these exhibitors are professional Milliners with unique and absolutely spectacular creations of nillinery pieces.
Declaring their membership open to all, Okunaiya stated “We would like to invite every Nigerian Milliner across the country and in the diaspora to join the Millinery association of Nigeria as we hope to work together with everyone to place Millinery in Nigeria on the world map and bring it to global recognition. For interested Milliners within and outside the country they can follow us on all social platforms”.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
