Two days ago, the world celebrated International Women’s Day, providing an opportunity to celebrate women achievers and those who have also helped in the empowerment of other women. In Lagos, the Women Entrepreneurs and Achievers Network (WEAN) organised the first ever Pan-African Awards to recognise women who have dared to tread where men tread. The event which took place last weekend at the Muson Centre in Lagos, saw front line fashion designer, Funmi Ladipo of Regalia, putting up a brilliant fashion show in honour of these distinguished women.

In this brief chat, Mrs Funmi Ladipo speaks on the progress made by women and how designers have used their creativity to launder the image of Nigeria in other lands.
How would you say women have fared?
The Nigerian woman has done very well in every aspect of life.

Actually, Nigeria is one country that is mostly dominated by men, so for the women who are trying to excel, it’s been like a struggle for them. But I think the women in this country have done very well. We stand out anywhere in the world.

There’s nowhere in the world you go to and you don’t find a Nigerian woman who is excelling or doing one or two things. What we actually need is to give the women more opportunity to excel.
So far, I think there’s been a great awareness about women’s issues and development.

In every aspect of life, the woman is now trying to come out and even if men won’t give her the chance, she’s ready to stake out her neck. It’s like taking it by force and women are really doing well. If you make a woman the governor of a state, I can tell you she won’t steal as much as the men would from that state; maybe because they are mothers.

But I think we’ve done quite well and we are still moving ahead.
In terms of fashion, how would you say we have fared?
I think when it comes to fashion, we are in the league of the Paris Club because I think we are really doing well if you have to match us up with foreign designers.

The only difference between us and international designers is that they give them opportunities to excel. But there are so many people here who are so talented. You know Nigeria is rich in culture; even look at the ordinary woman and see how she dresses.

Every woman is a model and that includes even mothers in the house. In those days, it was just the slim ones. Look around today and see some of our mothers and grandmothers.

So, I think that as far as fashion is concerned, we are there and are still going higher.
You can’t compare the styles we wore 12 years ago and the ones we are seeing now. We have really gone far, and the government has helped us a little by helping us to look inward and stop depending on foreign clothes.

I think we’ve really done well going over a 100% all of a sudden. There are so many young designers who are so creative. In those day, your parents would not allow you do this because they fear they will call you a tailor.

But now, educated and knowledgeable people are pushing their children to go into designing.
Isn’t it strange that designers are beginning to praise the ban on imported fabrics and clothes?
But the ban has really helped, I must tell you.

Look at what we are doing with Ankara. In those days, it used to be Ghana, when it comes to styles. We’ve taken over and this is happening all over the world.

You see Cameroon and Ghana reading the Nigerian fashion magazine and trying to copy it because I have clients from all over who come to say: ‘I saw this in this magazine and I want it.’ And we have the magazines and the media to thank for this. So everything works together for good.

We first need to work together and encourage ourselves because there are so many talents that are hidden in there. We need to get those treasures out.
And how would you describe your collection tonight?

It’s just a collection to celebrate the total woman and because it’s getting to summer, the collection is very flowery.