#BUY NIGERIAN

#’Buy Nigerian’ is a stylehousefiles.com initiative all about encouraging consumer culture in Nigeria as well as supporting locally made goods. It is the notion that eventually, enough income can be generated locally to boost and support the Nigerian fashion industry and even the economy. The initiative supports the idea that ‘if goods of an excellent quality are made available here in Nigeria’, they should be bought.

Our mission is

• To ensure that the Nigerian fashion industry is a big stakeholder in the Nigerian economy; and
• To create a consumer culture where Nigerians can buy Nigerian made products like they would any where else in the world

Our own fashion industry struggles even though research suggests that Nigerians are among the top five spenders on Bond Street and Selfridges in London and we also spend around €50 million on Austrian lace. With all this money being spent internationally, imagine how much the industry can grow if half of that spending is invested locally.

It has also been said many times that there really isn’t a fashion industry. Some will debate that this is really a fair statement to be made because the industry does not possess much, if any, in terms of structure and support as a whole. At the moment, we believe the Nigerian fashion Industry is based on individual designer’s efforts. Every design house possesses its own strengths. As a body, what we need to begin to think about is the future and the possibilities.

For starters, the industry must unite, cooperate and work together to lend support, strength, and growth to themselves and emerging brands. There are fashion and design schools in existence but are they enough? If not many, can more be created? What are the standards? What percentage of aspiring designers want to be formally trained?

Aspiring designers need training and guidance. They need to learn the art of designing. A lot of people just decide one day that they want to be fashion designers and a few years down the line their brands fail because they never got taught the principles of how to start a brand. They never got the work experience from established fashion brands.

Being a great designer is the crux of a brand’s strength, but good design and bad business sense will get you nowhere. Local PR firms need to begin to take the industry as a whole seriously. By coming up with new ways to push brands locally and internationally, more local brands can confidently set up good businesses that will generate income.

More financial institutions can begin to encourage the industry by also investing in small businesses, as well as providing loans.

The vision for ‘BuyNigerian’ is not limited to Nigeria only. It envisions Nigerian made brands in American & British department stores like Bergdoff Goodman, Barney’s and Selfridges that will proudly read ‘Made in Nigeria’. Nigerian brands can begin to export for local profit. Brands like JewelByLisa & Deola Sagoe have already begun this process.

In France, the luxury industry is encouraged by both the Minister of Commerce and the Minister of Culture. The Comité Colbert, an umbrella group in Paris for 75 French luxury goods companies such as Chanel, Givenchy, and Dior exports 82% of its member’s products, employing 115,000 people, generating total annual sales of approximately 22.4 billion€, and perpetuating France’s reputation for excellence worldwide.

The foundation of the French luxury industry was based on economic policies that began in the 17^th century. They ensured that exports were as high as possible – ensuring that these luxury products were inherently French. If there was any luxury good that was popular and in demand, they made sure it was produced in France – allocating different cities for the production of different goods; and if the French did not have the skill or know-how to produce these goods, they made sure that those who did (i.e. the highly skilled Italian mirror makers) were exported to France and given homes, dowries, and grand wages.

Nigerians will much rather buy garments internationally or in other instances imported goods, because they do not have confidence in locally made goods. In some cases they are justified. While we’re encouraging consumers to buy locally produced products, whether they may be clothing or accessories, brands MUST ensure that their products are of the highest quality possible. If you’re a luxury brand, then you’ll obviously invest in luxury materials to ensure that your products are luxurious, and if you’re a high street brand, you will still need to finish up your pieces in the best possible way. From zips to buttons, to garment finishing – the best pieces within the price range must be found.

Quality Control is essential! By being a part of this initiative, designers are saying they will ONLY send out pieces that best represents their brand and ultimately Nigeria! A lot of times, we are faced with a mediocrity mentality in Nigeria. Tailors and craftsmen must be taught the essence of producing a well cut, finished garment.

SHF refuses to promote clothes that are not well made. We cannot neglect the fact that sometimes it is hard to get certain quality finishing in Nigeria. Some established brands are privileged enough to import certain quality items. Other emerging brands will not be able to do the same. This is an example of where external brand investment and support is needed.

The #‘Buy Nigerian’ initiative is urging as many people as possible to wear one Nigerian designer a day for a month. Many have taken to it especially on twitter with the hash name #StyleNaija and have begun to document the process.

Remember, we can grow our Fashion Industry together! We implore everyone – all it takes is a commitment to #Buy Nigerian and wear a minimum of one item made from a Nigerian designer per day for the next one month, subsequently we will do a 3months run, 6months run, till it becomes a part of all of us.

This is a starting point and with this, we can boost sales for the Industry; with sales, we can give designers adequate feedback on their product and with adequate feedback, the products will be better, consumers will buy even more and the business of fashion can be established for our Country. #BUY NIGERIAN!

SHF credits comitecolbert.com

Photo credit – Kola Oshalusi,

 

RT @OneNigerianBoy: One Nigerian Boy X The Glass of Brixton Eyewear Campaign http://t.co/UnPi4ZZR #design #featured #ellietsatsou