Fashion designer extra ordinaire, Olabanke Afuape, tells Rotimi Ige, in this interview, why she chose fashion over medicine. ExcerptsBackgroundMY name is Banke Afuwape, my maiden name is Ajayi. Born and bred in Ilorin I attended University of Ilorin. Where I studied Microbiology, but I had always been interested in fashion. I remember one time when I was in 200 level, a lady, also a student, put together a fashion show, and she came up with a lot of things and forum for the fashion show and something in me stirred and I said yes, I can do this. Coupled that with the fact that my mother was a tailor. I went to St. Barnabas Nursery and Primary School, Sabo-Oke Ilorin and Offa Grammar School, but I didn't finish there. I proceeded to Inisa Grammar School, Osun State, where I finished before I went to the University of Ilorin.BusinessProfessionally, I have been in the business for about 10 years. As I said, I have always been interested in fashion. I think I have fashion blood in my vein, because my mother was actually a trained tailor and I am the one in the family that took after her.SuccessThe business has been quite interesting. I think tailors are now more daring, as against the time I started. But, these days we have a lot of privileges, the business is not as bad as before and these days, we see a lot of young professional people in the business. That means there is development in the business.Fashion senseI think fashion sense is about knowing what suits you, and you need to wear what you are comfortable with and you need to know how to mix and match colours to bring out the best in you.Fashion is wearing something you are comfortable in, I love simple silk dressing. A silk dress is a dress that doesn't have a lot of embellishment but has an elegant call, that's my preference. For outings, I love dresses and hats with a lot of embellishment. When I say embellishment, I mean using a lot of accessories on cloth, using beads to do a lot of things on fabrics.Why Ibadan, why not Lagos or Abuja'My husband is here, that's just it. Funny enough, I have some customers that are based in Lagos. I have a sister that lives in Lagos that I do made clothes for, and when people know that I sew for her, they appreciate it. What my sister does is to measure for me ' I taught her how to measure, then she collects fabrics from customers in Lagos and send to me, to design and I will return the fabrics to her on completion.ChallengesThere were a lot of challenges, as getting good tailor, is not easy. Sometimes, you get tailors that are good but are not here, I mean foreign tailors and you have to get one or two that will help you to develop the native line. I am very good with English wears because that was my area of training but I am not very good with native wears and because I wanted to do things that are extra-ordinary, tried to get two or more tailors that are helping me in that line.How do you see your craft in the next five years'I see my craft moving, but now I want to move into ready to wear line. I wouldn't have to wait for people until they bring their fabrics, I have been investing in some clothes collection, some in Lagos and others from our local markets here and since I have a place already that can be used as a show room, people can just walk in and choose what fits them.FamilyMy husband and I met in the university. We have been married for 13 years.Advice for youths going into fashionThey should get good training; it makes a lot of difference. If you see a good tailor, you don't have to move close before you would know. They should also be focused, know their areas of strength and weakness.Other professions'Actually, my parents wanted me to be a medical doctor, but I hate the sight of blood, so that was how I ignored the idea of becoming a medical doctor. I really wanted to be a pharmacist but when I was seeking admission into the university, I did not make enough points to study pharmacy.Bitter experience'No, not at all. I thank God I was not rejected and I keep thanking my husband for he has always been of help to me. If he hears of a new machine, he would make an enquiry before telling me. He has been interested in fashion as well, there was a time, he urged me to go and learn how to make men shirts and now, I also make men's wear.
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