Heineken Lagos Fashion Week is pleased to announce the official kick-off of Fashion Business Series this Tuesday, 24th November. Since its inception, FBS has been instrumental in bringing together key stakeholders in fashion to facilitate conversations, exchange of  ideas, and networking to develop the fashion industry.

This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Francois Souchet of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Francois is currently the lead of the Make Fashion Circular, a programme with a set agenda of disrupting the status quo within the industry and he will be leading the keynote on this same topic.

Fashion Business Series is pleased to welcome Francois as his work in the industry and now at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has contributed greatly to the redirecting of the fashion industry to employ principles of circular economy, an approach that emphasises usage of renewable materials. Lagos Fashion Week has long been committed to the process of identifying sustainable fashion practices. This discussion will be an opportunity to hear from those at the helm of this movement within the global fashion industry.

This first round of panel sessions will feature those from within the fashion industry, speaking on unlocking some of the major challenges that the industry faces. Panelists include a cross-section of designers, fashion entrepreneurs and various creatives, to engage in discourse surrounding the employment of sustainable practices economically and environmentally, and addressing the education deficit on the continent.

Adebayo Oke-Lawal (Founder, Orange Mentorship) will moderate the first session on addressing the education deficit on the continent, and will be joined by Fredricka Brooksworth (Founder, Fashion Scholar) Yvonne Ntiamoah (Founding Chairperson, Board of Fashion Ghana) and Iona McCreath (Creative Director, Kikoromeo). The next session will be moderated by Omoyemi Akerele founder of Lagos Fashion Week and she will joined by Samata Pattinson (CEO Red Carpet Green Dress), Zara Odu (Founder, Designer Consociate), Esethu Genga (CEO/Co-Founder Rewoven) and Elmer Stroomer (Founder, Africa Collect Textiles) will explore how to integrate practical solutions for long lasting fashion practices.

The final session for this week will explore blockchain technology and sustainable alternatives. Denola Grey (Fashion Consultant and Writer) will serve as the moderator and will be joined by Patrick Duffy (Founder, The SwapChain), ShihYun Kuo(Co-CEO & Founder, Lablaco) and Onyinye Fafi-Obi (Art Director).

Each panelist will offer a unique perspective and it promises to be a day filled with enlightening discussions.

Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham took to Instagram to advise those who get pressured with what they see on social media.

According to the mother of one, those who let social media glitz and glamour frustrate them are not wise.

She however advised that people should learn to be grateful for what they have and what they can afford.

In her words;

“Yorùbá máa ń sọ pé Ọlọ́run ò dá gbogbo wa bákannáà, and it is why I’ve come to realize that God didn’t create all of us to live one another’s lives, but to live to the fullest, the life He wants for everyone of us, individually. Ẹ mọ̀ pé èmi ma bá a yín sọ òótọ́ ọ̀rọ̀, I know we live in a world where it is so easy to daily compare our lives to other people’s, but the truth is, there is no wisdom in letting social media glitz and glamour frustrate you into giving yourself the permission to put yourself down and convince you that you’re not doing well (enough).⁣
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Believe me, I know that life’s not easy. I know that you feel like you’re growing older, and you haven’t even achieved one quarter of the things that you’ve planned for your life. I know you’re done with school, and there’s no job yet. I know that sometimes you do feel like everybody’s moving forward and you’re being left behind. I know that you’re tired, of being your supporter, friend, encourager… I know you feel exhausted, but don’t give up! Everything is going to be alright! Life is not a smooth-sailing boat, and you’ve got to trust that even in your pressing labour, God still has plans for you! You’re not a mistake. Elédùmarè kìí ṣe àṣìṣe. Life doesn’t hate you, and neither are you better off dead! Only the living can be hopeful. ⁣
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Don’t let the troubles of now tell you that tomorrow will never be any different. Focus more on yourself than you’re invested in other people’s being and living. Nobody deserves your attention more than you! All the attention you give to wishing for other people’s lives, pour it into yourself. Ask yourself – am I under-utilizing my potentials? Am I self-sabotaging? How can I improve my skills and develop myself for better opportunities? Trust God with all of your heart. Adúró d’Olúwa kìí jogún òfo.⁣
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Be grateful for all that you are, have and can afford! One thing comparison never fails to do, is that it blocks your sense of gratitude. It tells you that there’s nothing to be grateful for, but it’s a lie. Gratitude opens new doors. Stop wallowing in self-pity. Stop hating on you now. Ohun tí ò tó, ń bọ̀ wá ṣẹ́kù.”

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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has been asked to pay N500 million in compensation by the family of Ifeanyi Okereke, the newspaper vendor shot dead last week by a State Security Service (SSS) officer in the convoy of the Speaker.

This was contained in a letter written to Gbajabiamila by their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

The family gave the speaker seven days to fulfill their demand or face legal action.

In the letter dated November 23, Ozekhome, revealed that he has the mandate of the father of the deceased, Okorie Okereke, and his younger brother, Destiny Okereke, to make the demand.

The demand is coming a few days after Gbajabiamila visited the immediate family and pledged to support his children’s education until they become adults.

Also Read: Gbajabiamila’s Security Aide In Detention – DSS

“Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen.

“That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m only.

“This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son, husband, brother, and breadwinner’s life.

“But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them.

“Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights,” the letter read.