Wednesday 14 August 2013

BUSINESS OF FASHION CONFERENCE


FASHION CONFERENCE  SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

 Get your fashion career started with the Business of Fashion Conference presented by the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria and hosted by award winning London fashion brand. The Business of Fashion Conference is aimed at emerging fashion entrepreneurs: students, graduates and those already in the industry who have a keen interest in fashion and want to set up their own fashion business. It focuses on business opportunities and examines how to identify, manage and develop new products, new ideas and new services There is an increasing recognition by the fashion industry that entrepreneurial and small business management skills are an essential component of the fashion entrepreneur's portfolio of management skills together with leadership, team building, communication and networking. This seminar is set out to achieve three main objectives:
·         Support the growth of the Nigerian Fashion Industry
·         Nurture and guide emerging fashion entrepreneurs to start up, survive and grow their business
·         Demonstrate how fashion graduates can use entrepreneurial skills to explore work opportunities within the fashion industry.
With several multi award winning speakers lined up to speak at the conference, this is sure to be an opportunity not to be missed.
DATE: SATURDAY 14TH JULY 2013 (SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP)
            SUNDAY 15TH JULY 2013 (FASHION BANQUET)
TIME:  10:00AM-5PM
VENUE: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE GARKI, ABUJA.

LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE.
TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE EMAIL BUSINESSOFFASHIONNG@LIVE.COM OR CALL 08057001282



HOW TO BE SUITABLY DRESSED





For some four hundred years, suits of matching coat, trousers, and waistcoat have been in and out of fashion. From a tight knot of streets between Piccadilly and Regent Street, London called Savile Row, the suit has conquered the planet. You see it everywhere in every possible variations in the choice of the style, the garments and the details.

Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man ? From the  sharpness of James Bond's 007 to the forcefulness of a politician addressing a rally , the suit has come to be recognized as a symbol of power, influence and respect.  There is saying that a well tailored suit is of women what lingerie is to men. 
 For the savvy sartorial gentleman however, fit, flexibility and fluidity are non-negotiable.  Though they look restrictive and uncomfortable especially with the shirts and neckties, men's suits were created for comfort and are made to emphasize a man's best features. Most men wear their suits far too big and some far too small. It takes a professional tailor and a keen eye to make a sharp looking piece.

OSWALD BOATENG
How to tell if a suit fits

Contrary to popular belief, the weird arm stretching exercise that guys do to test for comfort is not an indicator of proper fit. Although comfort is key, men’s suits weren’t meant for jumping jacks. The right fit can come at any price point; but every suit, no matter how much it costs or perfect it initially appears, should require at least a little tailoring.
OSWALD BOATENG AND CLIENT PUFF DADDY
Shoulders: when you try a jacket on, you are really checking to see if it fits in the shoulders. The seam should rest naturally on the shoulder. lean against a wall: if your jacket touches first. It is too big.
Armholes: If your armholes are too low, your whole suit will move when you stick your arm out. Opt for the modern, less boxy high armhole cut.
lapels: be conscious of the ties you'll be wearing with your suit, lapels should correspond with tie width.
Buttons: If your buttons look like their pulling, the jacket is too small. If you pull the bottom of the V straight out, it shouldn't come out more than about 2 inches. If it does, it's too big.
darts: To avoid a boxy silhouette, your suit should dart in at the waist. Even on a pre-darted suit, you should have your jacket tailored to fit your body. The thinnest point should be around the jacket's main button(top on a 2 button, middle on a 3 button)
Sleeve length: The back of the sleeve should just meet the bump on the pinky side of your hand, and should allow 1/2" of shirt cuff to show.
Jacket Length: With your arms at your side, curl your fingers up. Your jacket should be resting in your hand. A suit jacket should cover most of your pants zipper and all of your butt.
Pant length: Suit pants will rarely fit off the rack. They're cut long, intended to be tailored. Opt for a modern, straighter cut that will create a sleek silhouette, instead of a frumpy, baggy one.
Break: Where the pants fold when they meet your shoe is called the "break", The pants should have one break at the bottom, and the leg should stop halfway down your shoe. This is known as "medium break". While a personal preference, short is high fashion, and is hard to pull off, and too much break can look baggy.
Pleats: Flat front shown here, but if you opt for pleats, you must wear your pants on your waist, not on your hips, otherwise they will bulge.
Shoes: The one thing everyman should own is the black lace ups. Real dress shoes have leather soles. Choose a substantial sole to anchor your weight. Your dress shoes should be as contoured as your suits. Say no to square toes. Black lace ups are the most dependable and versatile shoes you can own.
Picking the Right Suit for your Body:
Getting the right suit fit can make you look sleek and sophisticated instantly. They can be made to enhance the broadness of the shoulders, elongate the body and smooth away the bulges many portly gentlemen may be hiding in their bellies.


The Bulky man:
  • ·         Wear lightweight fabrics
  • ·         use dark colors: black and navy are always complimentary and classy
  • ·         make it solids or vertical stripes
  • ·         take two on the jacket: The two button jacket ia now the norm and designed to work for all body types and wont draw attention to your bulky frame
  • ·         Avoid double vented jackets as you dont want unnecessary attention on your backside.


The Tall, Skinny man:
  • ·         Add weight with heavier fabrics
  • ·         Stay with lighter colors such as greys and avoid vertical stipes
  • ·         Own a three button jacket
  • ·         Buy pants with a regular rise in the crotch area
The Short man:
  • ·         Avoid  loud patterns
  • ·         Rely on vertical stripes as they elongate the body and are the next best thing to a shoe with a higher sole.
  • ·         make it one button  or two
  • ·         Go for double vents
  • ·         buy pants with low rise





Trends in men’s suits include sharp lines, close tailoring and shorter hems. Yes, the fitted suit offers guys an updated, sophisticated take on a look that’s traditionally left unaltered. And now that the fitted suit has emerged on the scene, guys willing to take a risk should embrace these trends and demonstrate their fashion-savvy skills.
Now that you know how a suit should look on your body and what type to buy, check back next week for the Nigerian menswear designers who offer bespoke and ready to wear suits.
For more style information and tios follow me on twitter:@IAmAsake and Instagram:ASAKE

credits
www.askmen.com
www.agoodman.com.au
www.economist.com
Antongiavanni Nicholas: "The Suit" Harper Collins Publishers.

Photos from Tumblr and Pinterest.


Monday 29 July 2013

ARE YOU A TREND SETTER OR A FASHION FOLLOWER ?


 Whether we like it or not fashion is an integral part of our lives. It dictates what we wear, how we wear it and when we wear it. It's in our face every day.  It influences the way we interact with people, because it's first thing we see so in a way it influences relationships,  social perception and attitude. Coco Chanel said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” 
When it comes to style there are two types of people; The Trendsetter and the Fashion Follower.  It is quite cool to know what celebrities are wearing and what's in at the moment but should we follow these trends blindly or do we adapt them to fit our own personal lifestyles?  A fashion trend setter enjoys putting fashion pieces together in a way that is different, fresh and new. They always grab the attention of others because of their unique style. They are daring, creative, imaginative, but yet original when it comes to fashion. A trend setter always has followers as they are highly admired for their great fashion sense.
A fashion trend follower looks toward others for the next big fashion move. They appreciate the fashion ideas of trend setters and will create those same ideas with their own wardrobe.
Fashion trend setters set the do's and don'ts of fashion while fashion trend followers look for the next fashion do or fashion don't. Whether a person is taking the fashion scene by surprise with their interesting creations or wearing the latest pieces seen on their favorite entertainer is still their own form of expression. It's okay to be either a fashion trend setter or a fashion trend follower as long as a person is comfortable, exude confidence and enjoy what they are wearing.
Street style is usually the mix of both but those who usually catch out attention are those who have their own unique take on clothes
Being stylish consists of a complete package and goes beyond what you're wearing.  Here are a few pointers to know if you are a fashion follow or fashion trendsetter.
                                                                  
TRENDSETTERS
FASHION FOLLOWERS

·           Usually the first to wear a new trend and come up with fresh ideas on how to style them
·           Confident enough to try out of the box combinations and creative in their sartorial choices.
·           They are extroverted and outgoing and do not mind the occasional negative glance
·           Shop in specialty stores like vintage boutiques.
·           They strive to be different from everyone else. Staying true to being individual and unique and remain trendy and classy without looking crazy and ridiculous





·         usually wait for trends to become popular before joining the fashionable crowd.
·         Sticks to so called fashion rules and would never venture outside those confines
·         Shy and reserved. likes to play safe and prefers blending in with the crowd
·         Shops in popular shops where everyone is buying the latest trendy items
·         Sometimes fall prey to being fashion victims as they would wear clothes because they are in vogue rather than wear what fits their body types.

 It is said that a beautiful woman is one that is confident in the way she looks and feels. Feeling confident comes in truly loving what you look like in the moment. Wearing clothes that fit you properly provides comfort, accessorizing those clothes with something that makes you smile when you take that final look in the mirror, gives you the confidence you need which intern translates to beautiful. Forget the term “less is more”, the new term is “more is more”, stack gold necklaces on top of each other, stack a few bands on top of your engagement ring, add bangles on top of charm bracelets and cover a few fingers with large cocktail rings. You are today’s Marilyn Monroe, you are diva!

A trend is a style set by someone that gets followed by many, be the one, not the many. Be the person that understands what makes you comfortable, what makes you feel sexy, what really fits your style and follow it. Don’t ignore the popular trends out there, pick and choose the little pieces and ideas that you can translate into something you call your own.






Remember, you are beautiful, love the skin you’re in, dare to be different but most importantly, dare to be comfortable and confident, your comfort and your confidence is what makes you a trend setter not a follower.

Sunday 7 July 2013

BACK TO BLOGGING ! ONE YEAR BRIEF RECAP !

Wow ! It's been exactly  one year since I last blogged here ! Had to retrieve my password from Google !
So many things have happened in the AsakeOge world.

August 2012 we showcased at Africa Fashion Week London where we had an exhibition stall.

 It was amazing ! The turn out was fantastic...this picture below was featured on BBC China ! Plus we made a lot of sales so I was one happy madam at the end of the day.

























AsakeOge had a private fashion showcase for the launch of premier footballer, John Utaka's children foundation.
John Utaka and I

Volunteer models wearing AsakeOge on stage

Getting interviewed




Then we had the Asakeoge Fashion Sales Party at the Holiday Inn in Greenwich. it was a great day, make
up tutorials, head wrap tutorials, fashion show....everything !
Head wrap tutorial at the Fashion Sales Party.


Had this amazing hair back them !



See more photos at the ASAKEOGE FACEBOOK PAGE



In December I moved to Nigeria and debuted at FAB NIGHT OUT.






Worked with Africa Fashion Week London to launch STUDIO29 concession store....in April 2013
Artiste Eva hooked herself up with some AsakeOge pieces

Eva Alordiah


And most recently this month July, my latest venture and contribution to the Nigerian Fashion Industry to help grow a new breed of business savvy fashion entrepreneurs, THE BUSINESS OF FASHION SEMINAR. Where I had fantastic speakers like Familusi Akin-Babajide, Ibikari Brown (Head of Fashion Jumia), Adebayo Adegbe (Modela), Kola Kuddus , Uche NNaji (OUCH!), Wunmi Oladare (Wunmi O) and Dumebi Agbakoba. The pictures will be up soon on the Business of Fashion blog

This is me and Adebayo Adegbe, Modela. he was absolutely brilliant !

Modela and I with some of the participants.


So that's it in a nutshell ! But come back soon as I am going to be updating regularly and we are going to be discussing some serious issues as well !

Stay fabulous !