New York Fashionpreneur – Adiat Disu

Never one to accept the status quo as far as African fashion goes in the Diaspora, Adiat Disu started making a difference right from her university days by setting up the Bentley Fashion Consultants. Barely a year after she set up the Adireé Fashion Agency, she’s taken on New York by mounting the first ever African Fashion Week. SHF gets the full scoop on all the behind-the-scenes legwork and what keeps this young woman going…

Tell us about your vision for Adireé Fashion Agency.

Under Adireé Fashion Agency, I wish to promote emerging fashion artists and companies as well as established ones with collaborative and experiential events. For that purpose, we offer a multitude of services from advertising to planning without forgetting public relations. I like to think of the company as a chameleon; we change our abilities to blend with and satisfy our clients.

What are some challenges you have faced setting it up especially in light of the poor economic clime in the US?

Being a brand new company, regardless of the poor economic climate, I have to constantly prove myself in order to not only gain but also retain clients.

What will you consider as your greatest achievement till date?

Every time I embark on a new journey by producing a successful event, it becomes my greatest achievement until I do something new. When I was in college, I created Bentley Fashion Consultants at Bentley University and that was my greatest achievement at that time.  Today will probably be mounting the first ever Africa Fashion Week in New York.

Share with SHF some of the preparations that went into the production of African Fashion Week New York 2010.

I could write a book about that! There are numerous details I had to take care of and by paying close attention to details and following through, I was able to put together a successful show. I started working on this project since October 2009. I selected designers from Africa and the Diaspora and matched them with the appropriate models. I had to determine the concept of the show and the number of attendees I would ideally like to have. I couldn’t have done that without first selecting a budget by pitching my idea and vision to companies in order to receive sponsorships through funds and products. Picking a potential location was important as the décor had to fit with the theme and the room must have adequate space for the intended audience.

Another important point was to get enough press coverage and buyers to attend the event.  I also reached out to the huge African community in New York to promote the show and receive moral and financial support.

How did you go about selecting designers for the show?

I attend a lot of fashion shows for upcoming designers and when a collection catches my eye, I meet with the designers. Understand, making beautiful clothes is not enough in the long run. The person behind the brand must have a personality and a vision in tune with Africa Fashion Week (New York). I want to break through New York fashion noises and demolish stereotypes. Designers I select share that passion of promoting African vibrant culture through fashion and I am giving them a global platform to do so. I also do a lot of research online and reach out to designers from back home and in the Diaspora.

Will this be an annual event?

Yes, it will. Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, gave it a proclamation by declaring the week of July 12-18 the official date for Africa Fashion Week in the state of New York.

How can people get involved in the next edition?

I always love to train interns and volunteers and offer them an insight into how to plan such a huge fashion event. In addition, anyone with new and fresh ideas is always welcomed to get in touch with the company by emailing adiat.disu@afwny.com.

How has the African Fashion Week New York 2010 experience been so far?

It has been stressful but rewarding.

How has it been received?

Judging from the reviews that have been slowly but surely surfacing, the event received extremely positive feedbacks from the African community and society at large.

The money raised from the show will going into Fashion Feeds, tell us about some of the projects that FF will be working on this year.

Fashion Feeds Foundation is currently being re branded, refined and polished. The vision is to use the founders passion (Fashion and Public Relations) to give back and further develop others’ lives. Lastly, we are in the process of selecting our all star board of directors who will propel the mission of this foundation. In many ways this foundation will approach raising funds for various initiatives using fashion and business distinctively.

What is your view on the emerging African Fashion Industry and how can people in the Diaspora contribute to its growth?

A lot of time, African Fashion is misrepresented as mainly tribal and never sophisticated. It is so unfortunate, as we display our culture through fashion using vibrant prints, patterns, motifs and still remain classy and chic. I long to see the African Fashion Industry grow and I know it will because our designers are displaying the same qualities and attributes as the biggest designer in the Occidental World. People in the Diaspora can contribute to African Fashion Industry by simply supporting designers financially by buying their clothes and morally by attending shows and spreading the word.

What advice do you have for people who want to get involved in the African Fashion Industry?

Be persistent and consistent.

Designers pictured above: First column – Osun Designs (Jamaica), Chianu International (Nigeria). Second column – Chianu International (Nigeria), Kosibah (Nigeria), Côté Minou (Cameroon). Third – Arewa Designs

SHF credits aofrantz.shutterchance.com/ for images and its text.

 

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