To view photos from GUESS Fashion Day at SMW Lagos visit our Facebook Photo Gallery
The multicolored wax prints. The elegant, larger-than-life geles. The young, emerging fashion designers. A mere glance at the energetic fashion trends and products stemming from Nigeria confirms that Lagos is certainly a cosmopolitan fashion force to watch. During Social Media Week Lagos, iconic fashion brand GUESS served as a headline sponsor, inspiring GUESS Fashion Day. A day-long series of panels and events curated by the Bella Naija Style Team, GUESS Fashion Day offered attendees the opportunity to discuss social media and the business of fashion in Africa.
The first panel, “Blogging My Way to the Bank: Lifestyle & Fashion Blogging As a Profitable Business,” set the tone for the insightful discussions that were to follow. Adaku Ufere of Third World Profashional, Abiola Aloba of Maestro Media, and moderator Ijeoma Ndekwu of Style Editor at Large of BellaNaija.com and CEO of Redrick Public Relation revealed how to turn one’s online creative outlet into a lucrative enterprise. Concerns regarding transparency with sponsored content and the lack of original content were a few of the issues addressed to the panelists by attendees during the Q&A.
“Retailing African Fashion in the Social Media Era” came next, during which a host of individuals involved in the editorial, design, and retail elements of the Nigerian fashion industry explored the various roles of social media in the African fashion retailing industry. Popular platforms often pointed to for personal branding, like Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram, were all referred to as opportunities for boosted exposure and trendsetting power. Closing out that day’s panels, “Launching and executing a successful social media campaign – The African Fashion Case Study” provided guidance and an in-depth look at how to create a successful social media campaign in the fashion world.
Because a fashion day would not be a fashion day without a fabulous party, we closed out GUESS Fashion Day with a cocktail mixer featuring models rocking the brand’s latest looks. DJ Neptune spun the hits as guests networked and mingled with panelists, Nigeria’s top celebrities, and established fashionistas and divos. Sophisticated drinks, great company, and the sexy and adventurous fashion of GUESS ensured that guests received the full treatment, giving them a dynamic day to remember.