Being a fashion designer is a destiny I have to fulfill – Ifiokobong Akan

April 21 (THEWILL) – Ifiokobong Akan, who runs the popular fashion brand House of Borah, speaks to IVORY UKONU about fulfilling her destiny through her profession and her calling to make a difference in people’s lives through her speaking engagements and her acts of charity. Fragments:

You recently completed 10 years in the fashion industry. How has it been?

It was amazing; many lessons have been learned. It hasn’t been easy living as a mother, wife and entrepreneur. Of course there have been disappointments, tears and struggles. You know that doing business in Nigeria is not easy. There are many internal and external forces struggling to bring down your company. Sometimes it could be government policies, lack of basic infrastructure, etc. Everything I do, I do out of fear and do my best. It hasn’t actually been easy, but it’s been worth it. However, we are called here to fulfill destiny and that is why I see being a fashion designer as a destiny that I have to fulfill, and when you fulfill destiny, you don’t give up. So to commemorate 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 really about me telling my story and confirming that I’m going to be here for a long period of time. I realize that Africans are not adept at telling their unique stories. So in the book I put down the bits and pieces of what I had to go through to build a fashion brand, the difficulties and strategies with which I succeeded, because you cannot build any brand without implementing some modalities. Also being a wife, mother and entrepreneur and also having to build the brand in Uyo city, Akwa Ibom state, in a city where fashion was not really taken into account, so to speak, a place where I came and changed the dynamic of what they felt so far was fashion and how they saw fashion designers. This book is important because I speak in different forums and people ask me a lot of questions, especially about my story. They want to know how I was able to navigate the different facets of my life. So I thought, why don’t I just put all the answers to these questions in a book so I can easily refer people to read the book for every question I’m asked.

Why is the book important for fashion designers?

It is a fashion blueprint that will be useful to 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 from, relatable stories from the fashion industry. I also talked about style preferences, how people just need to create designs that stand out because there will always be someone who will like them. Often fashion designers think that people are only interested in a certain design, not knowing that fashion is so versatile. Fashion designers should simply 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 was talking about how we, humans, are 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 that cannot be hidden and that is why we must let our light shine according to Mathew chapter 5. I think people don’t really let their light shine because they are timid, they are afraid of the unknown and they are afraid are that people will do that. don’t accept them for who they are and what they do. We can’t be a city on a hill and be hidden or lack creativity. So it means that we have to study to show that we have been approved. We have value to offer to the world and that is why we must continue to inspire other people. That is why we are here on earth. So with this book, I’m telling people that it’s time to shine and break away from the mentality of thinking small. It’s time for them to tell their stories, because the world needs to hear their stories. This way they can shape their stories. Lots of people who have different views on African entrepreneurs and what we do. So I believe we need to talk more and shine more. Let Africa as a whole know that something is happening here. Let us be more of who God created us to be. It’s more or less like spreading the gospel.

How did your love for fashion begin?

Fashion has always been my core interest. It’s my love for fashion that got me into it in the first place. I love fashion. I think this is what every person should do. It’s as big as oil and gas. People will always wear clothes.

What would you consider your greatest achievement since becoming a fashion designer?

I’m basically a work-in-progress, but one of my biggest achievements will be launching this book because it’s huge, especially because a lot of people have told me that I inspire them by what I do.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I am already global. I see myself telling more of my African stories. I am already spreading light through this book and I think in the next decade I will see more people coming out to be themselves, living their essence, telling their stories and being who God has called them to be. Although that may not be the case in the fashion world.

What else do you do besides fashion?

I am also interested in real estate. I am also, as I said before, a mentor and a coach to many people. I also enjoy writing. I’m a speechwriter. I write a lot of speeches for my husband and his political friends.

How would you compare the fashion of ten years ago to what is available today?

It’s 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 looked a bit difficult at the time are made with ease by these new designers. They really spread the word that people can get the best of masterpieces in days, hours. I like their creativity. I also like their collaborative spirit.

The older ones didn’t collaborate much, didn’t know how to mentor and coach, and preferred to shine alone. I don’t believe fashion should be limited because I’ve seen some GenZs not do well because they’re burned out trying to follow a certain style and do different things at the same time. I think they should moderate things. So much can come from the fashion industry.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a support system. The Bank of Industry, BOI, should be there for us. I’m sorry I don’t know what they really do. They highlighted some of my mentees who encountered problems when trying to apply for a loan. The government should regulate the industry because so much can be extracted from the industry. The sector’s growth has not been bad, but it could be better.

Are you a member of a fashion association?

I was once a member of the Fashion Designer Association of Nigeria, FADAN, but I quit because I felt it was not properly regulated. So now there is one in Akwa Ibom called Akwa Ibom State Professional Fashion Designers and Tailors Guild. That works for me because we support ourselves by sponsoring emerging fashion entrepreneurs.

What is the name of your mentorship and humanitarian platform?

Humanitarian foundation ‘I Exude’ where I provide a lot of empowerment to deserving individuals. I also have many social media platforms where I can talk to people and pass on knowledge. It’s what I do for fun.