PHOTOS: Meet MultiChoice Nigeria’s Fashion Protégés

Did you guys catch the first episode of Fashion Protégé?

Like it?

Love it?

Want more? Well, we’ve got you covered. Get to know the contestants a little bit better. Who will make it to the end and becomes the next big thing in Nigerian fashion? 

NUMBER 1 

Name: Peter
Age: 27
Label: P-Prance Klodin
Education: Edge Business School
Location: Lagos

Peter is the brain behind P-Prance Klodin, a proudly Nigerian fashion brand with a global perspective.  With a design style that is a blend of the rich Nigerian and vast African culture, his designs are simple and classy, with an eye for detail. Peter entered the Fashion Protégé to take his passion for fashion to the next level and he believes it will provide him with the opportunity to expand his small business, learn the latest fashion trends from the experts, and create publicity for P-Prance Klodin. He is looking forward to the opportunity to learn from the mentors, to hopefully win the cash prize which will help him expand and grow his business. 

NUMBER 2 

Name: Lolade
Age: 22
Label: Neriah
Education: Undergraduate of Physics at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Location: Osun

Lolade started sketching as a little child but only discovered her passion for fashion design two years ago. With an aesthetic that’s modest, elegant and glamorous, she hopes she can impress the mentors. She’s entered the competition with the hope to build a career and to promote a style that’s glamorous yet conservative. Lolade is looking forward to learning, gaining more exposure, networking and most importantly she hopes to be inspired by the journey.
 


NUMBER 3 

Name: Ayodeji 
Age: 29
Label: Deji Eniola
Education: B.Sc. Geology
Location: Lagos

Ayodeji is a self-thought designer. He took an interest in the world of fashion design at an early age and acquired formal training through a fashion design internship at Fruition Image Consultancy. With a design style that he describes as “Innovative within the realms of classicism”, Ayodeji is looking forward to the challenge and to being judged and constructively criticized by the mentors. He is glad at the opportunity to show his designs to the world and believes that it will give his brand the right exposure. He also hopes the journey will boost his confidence as a designer and that of prospective clients. 
 

NUMBER 4 

Name: Chike
Age: 24
Label: Papaz Clothing (P- prosperity, A-ambition, P-productivity, A-action, Z-zeal)
Education: University of Calabar
Location: Lagos

Chike started out with a strong flair and zeal for fashion. Although he has no formal training, he decided to educate himself in the craft through frequent visits to tailors and markets to gain an insight on different types of fabrics and qualities and by conducting online research and signing up for seminars. Key to his aesthetic is a sense of style, elegance, comfort and attention to detail. He is looking forward to the mentorship from Mai Atafo and Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, the exposure the show will bring and hopefully winning the grand prize. He hopes the competition will bring him closer to actualizing his dream of becoming African’s own Amancio Ortega Gaona (The founder of Zara).
 
NUMBER 5 

Name: Grace
Age: 29
Label:  Cici.Mae (Sewlutions)
Education: B.A Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University/ National Diploma in Accounting from Lagos City Polytechnic.
Location: Lagos

Grace has the talent and the formal training to back it up! She holds a certificate in pattern making/ garment production from Ginani Fashion Training Institute, Lagos and was mentored by her mother who was a fashion designer. Her designs are classic, artistic, edgy and sexy! She reckons her abstract approach is different from the norm.  Grace entered the competition because she loves challenges and she sees The Fashion Protégé as a great platform and opportunity to showcase her talents and be discovered. Most importantly, she hopes to learn from and be groomed by the fashion icons in Nigeria. She believes the competition will inspire her, take her career in fashion design further and pave a way for her brand in the Nigerian fashion industry.
 
NUMBER 6 

Name: Tolani 
Age: 32
Label: Harmony by Tolany
Education: B.Sc. (Honours) Geography
Location: Lagos.

Tolani traces the birth of her interest in fashion design to her first doll.  She needed to change her clothes and since her size wasn’t available anywhere, she designed one herself and sewed it with a needle and thread! To see herself though school, she picked up fashion design again and loved it! She hopes to stand out with simple, wearable designs. She’s excited to be mentored and is looking forward to learning from them, improving her technical abilities in fashion design and also truly discovering her capabilities when faced with stiff competition. Tolani hopes to win the cash prize to invest in her business and she’s enthusiastic about the exposure the completion will bring.

NUMBER 7 

Name: Antoinette
Age: 28
Label: Sognate
Location: Lagos

Focused and determined, Antoinette is ready to put in the work. She knows it’s not going to be an easy journey, but she’s ready to take on the challenge. Not one with many words, she allows her work speak for itself in and her passion for fashion design shines through.  She hopes she’s in it for the long hull and believes her contemporary style will differentiate her from the other contestants. She hopes the competition will improve her speed and skill as she knows she’ll have to perform under intense pressure. She hopes the opportunity will give her exposure and is looking forward to learning from the criticism of the mentors.


NUMBER 8

Name: Elvis 
Age: 20
Label: Tehilla Nigeria
Education: Pre-law at Obafemi Awolowo University
Location: Lagos

Elvis  participated in a  6 month course at Jovial Fashion  where he learnt the basic essentials about designing. He describes his designs as eccentric, urban and African with a unisex appeal. He entered the Fashion Protégé to challenge himself and prove that it is possible to achieve all through determination. He is looking forward to working with the mentors and gaining an invaluable experience from them. He is hoping to leverage on the exposure the competition will create for him as a young designer and to win the prize money which will help him fully establish his brand.


NUMBER 9

Name: Bisola 
Label: Lady Biba
Education: B.Sc. Economics
Based: Lagos

Bisola is a self-taught designer with exposure to the industry from internships with fashion magazines. Her aesthetic portrays contemporary minimalism and modern femininity. She entered the competition for the experience and the exposure for her brand, which although up and running, she would like to expand its reach through the peripheries of the country. Winning the competition will provide the platform for her to expand and take her brand further. She hopes to inspire newbies like herself that with hardwork and consistency and of course the grace of God, you can get whatever you set your mind to.


NUMBER 10

Name: Omon
Age: 26
Label Name: Belios Couture
Education: B.Sc. Economics and Statistics
Location: Abuja

Don’t let her degree in Economics and Statistics fool you, she’s as good with numbers as she is with a needle and thread.  Omon describes her style as versatile, unique, edgy, youthful, fun and elegant. She’s excited to be mentored by successful and internationally acclaimed designers, Lanre Da Silver Ajayi and Mai Atafo (which she describes as a once in a lifetime opportunity), and to learn from her contestants. She believes that the lessons she’ll take from the competition will help in her ultimate goal to deliver high quality Nigerian designs to the public, thereby making her brand and designs achieve accreditation, respect and acceptance by the public.

NUMBER 11

Name:  Oluwatobi
Age: 26
Label Name: T16 World of Fashion.
Education: Undergraduate of Guidance and Counseling, University of Lagos
Location: Lagos

Tobi started sewing at a very tender age of 16 due to her love for aesthetics and decided to learn tailoring. Her designs are classy, elegant and unique and she loves putting a smile on people’s faces through her work. She cannot wait to show the world what she has to offer and hopes to standout in the competition. She has a very optimistic view on the competition as she sees herself as a winner whether she takes the grand prize home or not! She’s looking forward to broadening her knowledge about the business of fashion and the exposure she hopes the show will bring to her brand.

NUMBER 12

Name: Mary
Age: 24
Label Name: Maryscot Designs
Education: Diploma in Fashion and Design
Location: UK

Fashion was never just a hobby for Mary, she always knew she wanted to work in Fashion Design and thus, she pursued a formal qualification in that field. She combines her technical skill with her love for the avant-garde to create designs that are fresh and out of the box.  Mary is looking forward to meeting other designers, appreciating their talent and learning from them as well as the mentors. She believes the show will be a thorough learning experience and she’s ready to embrace the criticism she might get from the mentors and she’s hoping the show will contribute to her growth as a designer and future fashion entrepreneur.

Fashion Protégé airs on Thursdays at 8pm WAT on AfricaMagic Entertainment (151).