September 22, (THEWILL) – Seasoned fashion designer, Frank Osodi, who recently clocked 60, speaks with IVORY UKONU about how it feels to reach the landmark age, carve a niche for himself in the fashion industry and his plans for the future. Excerpts:
Congratulation. How does it feel like to clock 60?
Thank you very much. It feels unbelievably awesome clocking 60 and I am healthy and lively.
Were you looking forward to your 60th birthday?
I was sincerely looking forward to my 60th birthday.
Did you achieve all your set goals before turning 60?
I did set some goals for myself when I was younger, however I experienced God on my journey through life and the goals have changed for good. I am fulfilled in so many ways. I am quite grateful to God for this.
Looking back, do you have any regrets about life so far?
I don’t have any regrets so far. I have come to terms with the knowledge that life is filled with roses and thorns. So all I have experienced in life are all navigation to who and where I am today. Not Bad at all.
If you could turn back the hands of time, is there anything you wish you could have done differently?
Looking back now, the only thing I would have done differently is to have added law to my studies. There is so much injustice in this country. I would have loved to legally fight any system that stands against the rights of the masses.
Would you consider yourself a fulfilled man?
I am not completely fulfilled, but I am getting there.
What are you most grateful for?
I am grateful to be alive and soldiering on. The gift of waking up every morning strong and healthy is priceless. It is completely above any wealth, accomplishments, earthly gifts or luxury acquisitions.
Bunor Creazioni, your fashion empire will be 35 years-old this year. How has the journey been so far?
It has beautiful roses and thorns. Still, I am most grateful to God, my wonderful clients, my ever-hardworking staff, awesome Nigerian fashion writers and everyone that has ever sponsored our collections on the runways locally and internationally and also for those designers who paved the way for us to fly.
What was the idea behind setting up two sister fashion companies: House of Bunor and Frank Oshodi for Bunor?
House of Bunor and Frank Osodi for Bunor are two labels under BUNOR CREAZIONI. Under House of Bunor, we produce your essential pieces. Under Frank Osodi for Bunor, we design exclusively for our clients, unique pieces that we don’t reproduce for anyone else.
Do you believe that you achieved the purpose of setting up the two fashion houses?
Oh yes. We achieved our purpose for the two different labels.
You are quite versatile. You are a model, makeup artist, choreographer, model manager and other things rolled in one. How do you combine all of these things and yet make your mark in the fashion and beauty industries?
I started with modeling and later did makeup artistry. Choreography and model management came as a result of my years in the modeling and runway model experiences. Then later came the designing business. They all happened at different times of my life. However, we currently run the fashion design business and model and artist management agency, and of course the fashion choreography and fashion event production outfits. We have done very well in these areas and we have professionals heading those departments while still staying as the nucleus of them all.
At what point did you decide to get fully involved in fashion business? What is your story?
I had worked briefly as a head designer for a designer I use to model for in those days. After which I decided to resign and go back to my desired profession then which was graphics and visual artistry. After I left the company, some of the clients I used to cater for then came searching for me. One of them found where I was living and came with a ‘Ghana must go bag’ filled with fabrics. Even when I told her that I was not into designing anymore, she wouldn’t listen. She dropped a bundle of money and the fabrics and said to me, “I don’t want to know how you are going to sew these fabrics. Just let me know when they are ready.”
My brother encouraged me to go find tailors and sit with them, create designs for the fabrics and the tailors would do their best. That was exactly what I did. So, I worked with MAFAN creative associates during the day and worked with the tailors in the evening to get the fabrics ready. Shortly after that, I was encouraged to participate in Silverbird’s Intercontinental Designer of The Year competition. I participated and won. With the publicity that came with winning the contest, I got busier as a designer and the whole idea about setting up the fashion business came to the fore. That was how it all started.
What are some of the challenges you encountered running your fashion business and how did you navigate through them?
Well, like every other Nigerian business, managing human, especially unskilled tailors, was a major issue. I had to learn so much quickly so that I could bring my ideas to reality and make sure my clothes fit whoever wears them. The power issue in Nigeria now became a more serious problem down the line. That issue always takes a bigger chunk of the Nigerian designers’ profit. Accessibility to most of the things we work with was an issue then. Thank God we now have a lot of traders who are ready to invest into bringing in all the designer accessories into the country.
You are fondly referred to as the king of bustier because you make them well. Bustiers are now back in fashion. What do you make of it?
Media personality and a former fashion journalist, Ruth Osime gave me that name ‘King of Bustier’ in those days. She was a top fashion journalist then. Bustier is very much in fashion now all over the world and Nigerian designers are doing very well with it. It gives women the illusion of a shapelier physical feature.
Do you have a formal or informal school where you train young designers?
We don’t have any school where we train people. What we offer is an apprenticeship programme for a few people that we feel have and show a deeper level of interest in the creative fashion industry.
Nigerian fashion has evolved over the years and have now gone international. What is your take on this?
Yes, fashion has evolved all over the world and Nigerian designers are not left out. If you are on social media, you will see lots of Nigerian designers and retailers all doing Internet fashion business. As bad as the economy is, Nigerians are very determined and rugged business minded people. And considering our ‘aso ebi’ culture, it keeps a lot of tailors, designers in business.
Do you feel intimidated by the kind of designs these younger ones create?
Intimidated? Hell no! We all have our strengths and customer bases and moreover, the market is large. Those who know can tell the difference in our deliveries. Our cuts differ. So, there is no intimidation, talk more of competition.
Why didn’t you ever venture into male fashion?
I have been encouraged to go into men’s fashion. I did it when I started my business. And I am still thinking about it. It just may happen in the nearest future.
With the advent of the social media, influencers seem to have taken the place of professional models. As a former model do you think modelling will become extinct soon or do you believe that influencers taking over the jobs of models is the right way?
All over the world there are influencers endorsing brands so as a former model and the current President of Professional Model Managers Association of Nigeria (PROMMAN) I can assure you that we still have lots of jobs for professional models. Most brands are not really interested in working with faces that are everywhere and they are also worried about the effects of some celebrity scandals on their brands. So, there are still a lot of jobs for models regarding television commercials, point of sales posters, fashion runways, look books and editorials and brand and product promotions.
Do you belong to any fashion association?
I am an old member of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, FADAN. I was once its vice president.
