Friday, August 12, 2016
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OR MANY DECADES ALL THE BOUTIQUES AND RETAIL STORES IN THE COUNTRY PRIMARILY SOLD IMPORTED CLOTHES FROM FAST FASHION RETAILERS AND HIGH FASHION BRANDS 4HEY DID THIS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED .IGERIANS ONLY WANTED IMPORTED CLOTHING "UT IN THE EARLY S THAT CHANGED .EW RETAILERS CAME INTO THE INDUSTRY STOCKING ONLY BRANDS THAT WERE MADE IN .IGERIA "RANDS LIKE 'REY 6ELVET AND , %SPACE ONLY SOLD INDIGENOUS BRANDS "UT BEFORE LONG THESE RETAILERS ENCOUNTERED A MAJOR PROBLEM -ANY OF THE LABELS PRODUCED CLOTHING THAT WAS SO SUBSTANDARD NO ONE WOULD BUY IT !ND THE REST COPIED THE DESIGNS OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL LABELS TRYING TO REPLICATE THEIR SUCCESS 7HEN YOU HAVE MANY COPIES OF THE SAME DRESS IT GREATLY HINDERS YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE A SALE AND SUGGESTS TO THE BUYER THAT WHAT YOU RE SELLING CAN BE GOTTEN ELSEWHERE FOR CHEAPER 3O THE RETAILERS SOLD LESS AND INCURRED LOSSES !S A WAY TO CIRCUMVENT THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL .IGERIAN FASHION RETAILERS HAVE ELECTED TO JOIN THE FRAY THEMSELVES AND LAUNCH IN HOUSE LABELS 4HE ØRST LABEL TO DO THIS WAS )SOKEN /GIEMWONYI BACK WHEN SHE AND 7ONUOLA /KOYE WERE RUNNING , ESPACE (ER LABEL /BSIDIAN 7AY BECAME THE DEFACTO IN HOUSE LABEL FOR THEIR RETAIL BRANDS /THER RETAILERS HAVE EMBRACED THE MODEL 3TRANGER ,AGOS HAS 3UNLESS 'REY 6ELVET HAS &RANKIE AND #O AND &ASHPA UNDER (ONEY /GUNDEYI JUST PREVIEWED ITS OWN LABEL !ND NOW %ZINNE #HINKATA SUPER STYLIST AND FORCE BEHIND EPONYMOUS RETAILER :INKATA IS JOINING THE FRAY WITH HER OWN LABEL 4HE :INKATA IN HOUSE LABEL REPLICATES %ZINNE S LOVE OF QUIRKY FAR LEFT STYLE -IXED PRINTS ARE THE MOST PROMINENT TAKEAWAY FROM THE COLLECTION AND -S :INKATA WHOLLY EMBRACES !NKARA 0RINTS USING THEM TO STARTLING EÚECT
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4HIS IS THE ØRST COLLECTION WE VE SEEN WHERE THE A STYLIST PUTS THE VAST KNOWLEDGE SHE HAS FROM THAT JOB INTO HER DESIGN WORK -S :INKATA DOESN T BOTHER HERSELF WITH FADS OR HOPS ON THE OVERSATURATED AND FRANKLY TIRED OÚ SHOULDER TREND THANK YOU .IGERIAN DESIGNERS FOR RUNNING THAT TREND STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND 7HAT SHE DOES INSTEAD IS PICK ØVE STAPLES SILHOUETTES AND WORK AROUND THEM STICKING TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HER LABEL WHICH IS ACCESSIBILITY AND RETAIL VALUE 4HE #ONSTANCE 3KIRT AND "LOUSE THE 0INAFORE AND 3HIRT THE #LASSIC 3KIRT 3UIT THE -ULTI FUNCTIONAL 3UNDRESS AND THE S INSPIRED FULL SKIRT AND RETRO JACKET ARE THE STYLES :INKATA TACKLES INTERPRETING THEM BRILLIANTLY 4HIS COLLECTION IS SO GORGEOUS IT WILL BE A TOUCHSTONE FOR OTHER LABELS FOR MONTHS TO COME /F COURSE SOME PEOPLE WILL MAKE ASSOCIATION WITH THIS COLLECTION AND )TALIAN DESIGNER 3TELLA *EAN S WORK BUT SAVE FOR SIMILAR MATERIALS :INKATA S COLLECTION IS ALL HER OWN IT HAS HER UNIQUE BRAND OF QUIRK AND GENIUS AND WE RE ALL FOR IT 4HE COLLECTION WILL OÛCIALLY BE LAUNCHED THIS SUNDAY AT THE BRAND S STORE IN $OLPHIN %STATE 0HOTO #REDITS 0HOTOGRAPHY #REATIVE $IRECTION !MBAVI ,ONGE AMBAVILONGEPHOTOGRAPHY 3TYLING %ZINNE #HINKATA -ODELS /IZA )FEOMA !DUKE 4ITI AND !NGELA FOR "ETH -ODELS !FRICA -AKE UP %NDOWEDLOOKSPRO