Neo Mantra, an intellectual property development company in partnership with Allure Magazine and Bunor Creazioni, a renowned Nigerian based fashion design, consultancy and model management firm headed by Frank Osodi in conjunction with Red Dahlia Production, a South Africa-based Company renowned for seasoned fashion and pageant show management and Rivers State Government bring to you Native & Vogue Port Harcourt International Fashion Week holding, September 20th to 22nd, 2013 at Aztech Arcum. The key anchor person/headliner will be the daughter of Rivers State, first Black African ever to win the Miss World beauty pageant and has continued to be a source of national pride ever since. This is the very elegant Agbani Darego. She has embraced the project and given her total support to the execution of this project mainly because of the opportunities it provides the youths in Rivers State especially.
The Native & Vogue project is a 3 day fashion week that primarily brings together already established fashion designers from Nigeria and beyond who will showcase their wares. This will serve as a base and spring board for the upcoming and aspiring designers to cease the opportunity for a career launch after undergoing a short tutelage under the already established designers. The upcoming designers that perform above a benchmark will have the opportunity to boost their career opportunity by furthering their skills in prestigious fashion schools. The aim of Native & Vogue is to foster the growth of this seemingly silent but vibrant industry by providing structure and grand economic purpose which would ultimately benefit all stake holders especially the residents in the hosting state, Rivers.
The Port Harcourt International Fashion Week is a platform that is meant to create and develop local fashion and its related crafts in a magnitude that will benefit the community, positively influence education, culture, community services, tourism as well as the economy. The Rivers State Government has since recognized this opportunity and has taken steps to actively engage the youth by launching this unique platform. This will serve to fulfill millennium development goals by reducing poverty due to jobs and opportunities creation and ultimately place the Treasure Base of The Nation on the International Fashion Map. This will come with an array of opportunities which will prove the government’s efforts in alleviating poverty and ultimately buttress the “Rivers of Opportunities” slogan.
The entire three day period will be filled with fanfare and activities that will draw attention to and bring goodwill to Rivers State. Some of expected activities include: Meet & Greet, Fashion Shows, Exhibitions, Workshops and Fashion Competitions. The key resource person of The Native & Vogue project is Mr. Frank Richard Osodi, a man with over 20 years experience in the fashion and modeling industry. Some of his participatory and organizing accolades include: South Africa fashion week, Vukani Fashion Awards, Mozambique Fashion Week, Africa Fashion Week London, PAHBA Awards, Miss Africa U.S.A, Atlanta and Barbados and a host of other fashion fairs all over the world. Frank is the brain behind the highly successful annual international fashion show BLACK, BOLD AND JAZZY and also dressed the first black African to win the miss world crown, AGBANI DAREGO. Other designers who will be showcasing are:
TOP NATIONAL DESIGNERS
- a. Ituen Bassey
- b. Femi Adebayo Jones
- c. Davida Coutures
- d. Mai Atafo
- e. AlVince Coutures
- f. Sunny Rose
- g. Paul Van Zyl, international guest designer.
TOP PORT HARCOURT DESIGNERS
- h. Zhalima Grazioni
- i. DakVal
- j. House of Odysee
- k. Beelicious
- l. Tejiri
- m. Revamp Your Style
- n. Rosbinna Collections
RIVERS BASED UPCOMING DESIGNERS
- o. Ady By Linda
- p. Joon
- q. Joe Pagatanga
- r. Jason Porshe
- s. Promzy Collections
- t. Imikan & Stephens
- u. Omos Fashion
- v. Jazz Effects
- w. Dilem Designs
- x. Sira Stitches