LOla Faturoti
In April 2000, the 34-year-old Nigerian designer's dreams came true. After a small show that earned raves in the press, one of her dresses landed in a Barneys window and then in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute. Vogue soothsayer André Leon Talley visited Faturoti's grimy West 29th Street studio and introduced her to advertising guru Peter Arnell. The Arnell Group gave Faturoti $10,000 for her next show in September and also arranged the location -- Nobu -- and the invitations. Swarovski Crystal co-sponsored the show, giving Faturoti $25,000 as well as $10,000 worth of material.
When Faturoti went to Arnell's office to look at the invitation, she recalls, "I asked why Peter Arnell's name wasn't on it. The art designer said, 'Mr. Arnell doesn't lend his name to all of the small projects he sponsors.' " But after the invitations went out, Faturoti says, "André phoned to say I was in trouble. I felt awful. But the only mistake I made was not calling Peter Arnell to say, 'Are you sure you don't want your name on this?' " Faturoti thought the faux pas wasn't fatal -- until she came out after her show to take her bows. "I saw that André and Peter weren't there," she says, "and I burst into tears." Though Faturoti is certain their absence was due to the invitation oversight, Arnell laughs at the notion, explaining, "I don't generally go to fashion shows. I was probably very busy that day." As for Talley, Arnell jests, "I imagine André was just sleeping late." (Talley couldn't be reached for comment, but his assistant insists that "André loves Lola.") The invitation gaffe, Arnell says, "was a miscommunication between her and the art director." He adds, "I'm very happy André and I were able to kick off things for her. She deserves it."
Sure that Arnell was angry, Faturoti counted on Swarovski to fund her next show. "But then there was all this hoopla with Alexander McQueen and Randolph Duke," she sighs. Swarovski co-sponsored or gave materials to all three designers last fall, but Faturoti was the only one who credited the company. Swarovski decided to put its sponsorship program on hold. "We love Lola," says communications manager Nadja Swarovski, "but we certainly didn't commit to her for a second show."
Faturoti heard the news in early January 2000. With three weeks and no money to prepare for her next collection, she decided to take to the streets. "I thought, everyone is coming to Ralph Lauren's show. The least he could do -- without knowing he's doing it -- is let me be a parasite on his back." She raised $4,000, bought material instead of paying rent, and created the thirteen "Medieval princess" dresses her models wore on West Broadway. And she was right about Ralph Lauren. According to his press representative, "Mr. Lauren was not aware of Ms. Faturoti's show and so is unable to comment on it." He'd done enough for her already.
Lola Faturoti is a familiar name in the USA and European fashionindustries but not among Africans or Africa's Fashion Industry. In 2000, Lola created a buzz when she upstaged Ralph Lauren's fashionshow, at New York Fashion Week, with a show of her own right acrossthe street from his show. Her move got her noticed and profiled innumerous top fashion publications including American Vogue, WWD andthe New York Times. Lola's buzz and quality work also helped get one of her designs to be a permanent fixture at New York's MetropolitanMuseum's Costume Institute. Nevertheless, despite all of herpopularity, Lola experienced difficulties typical of an emerging designer such as no financial backing and an inability to fulfil orders. She took a break from running her fashion business, moved to Italy, and designed, for three years, for other reputable designers.In 2005, Lola returned to the States armed with business skills and improved creativity.2007, Lola debuted her new collection. This year, she prepares to show her collection during the upcoming New York Fashion Week. In an interview, Lola talked to LADYBRILLE.com about some of her experiences in the industry and more importantly, she offers her views on what it takes for African designers to gain recognition in the very competitive USA/European fashion industries... started designing in 1993, studied fashion design in London born in London, moved to Nigeria, to Ondo town in Ondo state ,Southern part of Nigeria and returned to London when 17. She moved to New York in the early '90s after studying in London and in New York, she started working at a store called Charivari, one of the biggest stores.Actually then, bigger than Barneys and from there that started basically designing just forherself. Customers where coming and asking what she was wearing.Customers like Diana Ross. Just mention it,and every celebrity came into that place so that was her big exposure.She met Marco. Marco was the manager at Charivari. They became really good friends. Prior to working for Joseph in London. She was worked there before moving the USA and so she had a very good experience. Working for Joseph in London is a huge thing. Moved to The Usa and Marco got me the job and startedworking at Charivari. She was very fashionable, very stylish very trendy.She would design and wear her things and the customers would ask were they could buy what she was wearing. One day vice- president,Barbara Weiser of the store asked if she would like to start designing her own line and display her first collection and see how it goes. She did that and it was May of 1993.Overnight it became a different story from there. Every magazine . New York times, her first article was New York Times and then allthe other magazines came after. Then She did her first show October of that year and that was how she started.In the past she had lots of fashion shows. Since 1993, was basically showing till 1996. In 1997, got tired of fashion,because if do not have an investor in fashion, it is impossible to keep going because money put goes very fast in fashion.She got tired of basically working and not really making any money and always looking for money.Went into doing bridal work. Since 1999, was the end of the millennium, got inspired to do something and from there ,designed very strong couture, 9-11 looks, and exhibited it at theMilk studio in New York. That is one of the city's very popular studios and basically, all the important people came. From there,New York Times did a big story in which they chose 18 of the best designers from the whole world and they asked her if she would like to be a part of it. Theywere nine designers from America and nine from the rest of the world.The nine designers from America were Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, DonnaKaran, basically all the big designers, eight of them .In Europe, thedesigners chosen where Comme Des Garcon, Gaultier, AlexanderMcQueen--nine of the best designers. After all of these and a four page in New York Times where she was opposite Ralph Lauren, her design exhibited in Barney's for two weeks and now it is at the Costume Institutes for one of the best fashions during the millennium. The season after, received sponsorship from Swarovski Crystal for her show. Peter Arnell ,advertising guru and Vogue's Andre Leon Tally were ,instrumental in helping produceher show at Nobu ,Tribeca restaurant in NewYork. She got a good write up from Cathy Horn of New York Times. Then,took a shortbreak and in January/February of 2000 she decided wanted to show again, did not have any clothes, did not have any money,called a friend in Austria and he lent her some money and basically did a very strong look of another strong look and this was inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci. The story was of an African woman who fell in love with a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci and he created the look. The exhibition started with Alek Wek unveiling the pieces which are basically the models and this was the show that she did on the streets in front of Ralph Lauren that everyone was writing about. After the show,moved to Italy. She lived in Italy for three years working for other designers and did some shows in Italy and made lots of contacts. Moved back to the States in 2005 and started designing again last year, inspired by some of them. Also can see the way they were putting the Western fashion and incorporating it into their way of designing and thinkst it is very interesting but she thinks they are just concentrating on Nigeria. If they are, that is very good. If they are concentrating on the Western world and expanding, they have to look for a way of doing that. Some of them are doing it already by incorporating theWestern fabric with the African fabric,thinks it is also the silhouette. The shape. What she really like is the trims. The way they trim the costumes/clothing Nigeria, especially the Ankaras. She finds it inspiring the way they cut into the Ankaras and put the trims. She likes that a lot. But, thinks one thing they need to brush up on are Western shapes.According to Lola,publicity is very important. They need to put their name out there, especially coming from Africa. People need to see what they are doing and it is from there that they could start getting out there. It also depends on who they are trying to target. If they are trying to target the world, for example, then they need to move out of the African/Nigerian thing and move more into the world, basically involving outsiders to help them.If they stay only within the Nigerian or African PR/Sales or whatever,they wil always get to be in that market. But, if they for examplesay, "Okay, I am going to America to find a showroom that will take uson, you know then they have a chance of getting to the outside world."America is kind of like different,Lola opinioned , especially NewYork. If you go to a showroom and they see talent, they will take youon,if they see something different but wearable, they will take them on.I think what African designers in Africa are doing, Africans in the Western world would really like tohave some of those things. For example, my sister lives inWashington DC. She is very fashionable, she is a very smart womanand she wears a lot of Nigerian clothing. She has to send people toNigeria or ask my mom to send her some of these beautiful things. But,if a designer comes here that they know of, I am sure she would rather prefer to buy it over here than having my mom send things to her.Her current upcoming Fall designs has Ankara designs on silk fabrics,also had other African inspireddeisgns. One of the shoots WWD did for a write up on her also has an Ankara top her created but in a Western way. She wants to be anambassador for fashion from Nigeria in the Western World. I have to create not only for my people. I have to think of everyone in thewhole world and how theycan see my work and say, "I could wearthis." My biggest clients for the prints last season were in Japan and Los Angeles. They went for it even though the tops were boubou shaped but in a Western way so they went for it because they can relate.I want the whole world to wear my collection. Mydream right now is to be financially successful.Lola has never showed in Nigeria or anywhere in Africa. I will show in the next five years.I would like to show kids in Nigeria and around the world that if you have a dream and you put a bit of energy. Actually, not a bit of energy.There will be a lotof times that you will be like, "That's it. I am not doing it anymore!" But, if you really believe in yourself and you keep going,you will make it one day. That is what I really want all kids to know.They can be anything they want to be.That isimportant because the universe has given a lot to me in my life andthat is something I would like to do, to give back.
