Youth unemployment is a major issue in Nigeria. Education and skills development have long been seen as central to creating jobs. Textile and clothing is the second largest sector in the developing world after agriculture. This sector is dominated by Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and holds the potential to create jobs for millions of women and youth.
The Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN) is the recognised body for the Fashion Designers Profession and was duly incorporated in 1989 by the then Federal Ministry of Trade and Corporate Affairs. FADAN is recognised as the professional body for promoting, marketing and developing, the Nigerian art and fashion culture. FADAN has state chapters all over Nigeria.
Looking back at that eventful day in November, 2008 when the newly appointed President of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), Prince Idowu Oyefusi, visited our firm and discussed his vision for FADAN. We were excited. WHY? It was a vision that will create a new dawn for FADAN if it was implemented.
W-Holistic Business Solutions was ready to take that walk with the President in Taking The Fashion Industry To Next Level. This decision to work with the FADAN President brought back the Talent Hunt competition from where it had laid to rest.
The history of the talent hunt competition can be traced back to the Fashion Show and Fair organised by the British Council in collaboration with FADAN and Yaba College of Technology in 1992. In a press release by British Council, a four day programme tagged “Sakara” was organised, with various encounters such as seminars and workshops culminating in a major fashion fair at the Federal Palace Hotel on 26 April, 1992. Leading figures that conducted the workshop and seminar were Roger Casstles, the Executive Producer of BBC’s popular and award winning TV series ‘The Clothes Show’ and Wendy Dagworthy, the Head of Fashion at the prestigious Central St. Martin’s School of Art and Design in London. This event by British Council inspired the annual talent hunt competition initiative by FADAN to encourage budding designers in private fashion schools, tertiary institutions and secondary schools in Nigeria in collaboration with Yaba College of Technology as a co-sponsor. The talent hunt is targeted at young designers across the country, to provide them a platform to be seen in order to expose them and enrich their knowledge.
W-HBS redesigned the Talent Hunt Competition as a job and wealth creation program to empower budding designers with the tools and network to start and/or grow their operations to the next level of innovation and job creation.
Winners of the Talent Hunt event received cash prizes, factory equipment to start off or expand their fashion business, scholarships to train in a top fashion school in Nigeria and an Enterprise Development Training with W-Holistic Business Solutions. Through membership of the association, they also got access to mentorship from and access to top designers in the industry.
The competition also served as a membership recruitment event for the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN). The event encouraged budding designers to join the association & also served as a funds raising strategy for the association through membership fees. W-HBS also assisted with each Talent Hunt competition by preparing the event sponsorship proposal and worked on the sponsorship drive.
W-HBS is proud to have been with FADAN up till Talent Hunt 5 to support talented young designers taking their career to the next level. Specific results from this program include:
W- HBS partnered with the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN) in rebranding and transforming the association and its members from 2009 to 2012. During our relationship, W-HBS offered scholarship to our members in the area of Entrepreneurship programs, consulted for the association and co- developed the proposal for the Talent Hunt Competition and also offered training in the area of Bookkeeping and Access to Finance from Bank of Industry and Commercial Banks.
We highly recommend W- Holistic Business Solutions to any organisation or association that requires their services.
Even after a project ends, W-HBS continues to follow up on its clients and the progress of the projects through our M&E unit. Below are the latest updates from FADAN and the Talent Hunt:
