“Having the Technical Skills of Sewing is Not Enough to Thrive as a Fashion Entrepreneur
Creative Director and CEO of Owanbe Community; Oluwatobi Ogundele has disclosed to the graduating students of Folorunsho Alakija Skills Acquisition Centre, Yabatech that having the technical skills of sewing is not enough to thrive as a fashion entrepreneur in Nigeria.
Oluwatobi made this statement during a training session with the graduating students of the skill acquisition centre held at the centre’s workshop on the 1st of December, 2021 who later graduated yesterday, 15th of December, 2021.
The training was organized by the Nigerian leading aso-oke fashion brand outfit under the aegis of @ceomaniaalasooke, as a compliance with the company’s corporate social responsibility policy to celebrate her anniversary with an organizational objective to equip upcoming fashion entrepreneurs in Lagos State with the business skills to thrive in the world of entrepreneur.
Recall that the fashion brand celebrated her 8th year anniversary of providing delectable contemporary fashion statements from the timeless Aso-oke fabrics for Nigerians and the world at large on the 23rd of September, 2021.
Speaking briefly after the end of the training, Oluwatobi Ogundele disclosed that many fashion entrepreneurs folded up their businesses shortly after a skyrocket start because they lack the skills of running a business.
He further explained that having the practical skills of sewing and styling is not enough, stressing that they need the knowledge of how to do business in the fashion industry.
“Having the technical skills of sewing and designing is no longer enough to thrive in the competitive fashion industry, you have to know the business behind it. You can be the best at sewing and not make as much money as you ought to, while someone who cannot even thread a needle cash out big time simply because he understands the business. I have seen it happen.”
In reaction, the facilitator of the fashion design section of the centre; Adeola Idioje, expressed her delight in the training and promised to collaborate with the company to extend the training to the department of fashion design of Yabatech. In her words, “this is a valuable training that is not taught in the classroom which every student of fashion needs to have.”
The intensive training covers different modules like client management, vendor relations, color selection, finance management, employee management, business proposal writing, entrepreneurial skills among others.
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