Guaranty Trust Bank plc recently launched its partnership with Selfridges, UK to project authentic
designs by talented African fashion designers. The collaboration tagged “Guaranty Trust Bank
presents Ndani” stems from the Bank’s commitment to the projection of African Art to global
audiences as a Proudly African and Truly International financial institution.
Ndani represents the beauty of Africa and this is clearly demonstrated at a distinct pop-up shop
in Selfridges’ departmental store on Oxford Street in the UK. The designs on display at the shop
express the deep creativity, ingenuity and originality of African designers, attributes which the
designers share with the GTBank brand.
The exhibition has already attracted several reviews and visits by fashionistas from all over the
world and is set to be a high point at the store throughout December 2012 and January, 2013.
Participating designers are from Nigeria and include: Agu, House of Silk, DOT Handbags, Odio
Mimonet, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Jewel by Lisa, Eki Orleans, Ituen Basi and Tiffany Amber. These
designers are showcasing their Christmas/Cruise collection exclusively at the Nigerian world pop-
up store during the project.
Commenting on the GTBank – Selfridges project, the Managing Director and CEO of Guaranty
Trust Bank plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje said that supporting and promoting African art such as fashion
internationally is one of GTBank’s major Corporate Social Responsibility thrust. He stated that “we
will continue to forge strategic partnerships to create platforms for the contributions of Africans to
the different genre of Art as an organization positioned to harness the hidden potentials in Africa”.
Guaranty Trust Bank’s other recent art projects include its ongoing partnership with Tate, UK
where it has appointed an international curator of arts and provides funds for the acquisition
of African art by the gallery in addition to sponsoring annual art projects around the world.
Furthermore, Ndani TV powered by Guaranty Trust Bank is an online platform which seeks to
promote the best of Africans in music, fashion, writing, technology and business. The platform tells
their story from a uniquely African perspective and puts their works within the digital space.
Guaranty Trust Bank was established in 1990 and presently operates from over 200 offices in
Nigeria and banking subsidiaries in Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and the
United Kingdom.