Hi guys, My name is Nkem Okorafor, I am the online content manager at
Complete Fashion magazine. That being said, I will like to issue a
disclaimer that all opinions are mine and not that of the organization
I work for. First off, I will like to say I appreciate the impact
LFDW has on the fashion industry in Africa. It has opened up a lot of
doors and publicity for our designers and models alike. I will try to
keep this brief because people have said a lot about the show;
Attitude towards press- The press were treated like we were done a
favor being allowed to cover the fashion week. Press passes were not
enough, press was pushed around and literally insulted, there was a
point I was embarrassed because I had a front row ticket given to me
by the said organizers and I was asked to move to another seat because
I was press. The seat was kept for someone who showed up almost an
hour later and did not sit there for more than 12 minutes.
Solution; Find someone who will not piss off the
people who literally take your show to the rest of the world.
No thought given to paying attendees- The show was slated to start at
5 pm, but by some miracle it didn’t even start 3 hours later, press
and everyone else who bought tickets were only allowed in from 8 pm.
Standing outside in the heat, crammed against one small door, trying
to get in.
Solution- What happened to having multiple entrances for the regular
folk,considering VIP, who were a lot fewer, had theirs?
Facility mishaps- I remember randomly having a conversation with a
photographer and I joked about the rain coming and how the tents will
most likely leak. I was joking but lo and behold, the rains came and
half of X-retail was drenched,right on the AC wiring, backstage was
flooded and the press area was literally a sopping wet carpet, which
we were made to sit on for 2 days!!! Solution- What happened to
getting tapoline or any water resistant material to place on the floor
for all those press people who you thought you were doing a favor?
The famous runway couch- This really got everyone riled up.
International fashion weeks worldwide, even Anna Wintour, Beyonce,
Anna Garcia,Adele etc are given front row seats, note I said front row
seat not a seat on the runway literally. The solution is simple, your
guests should be advised to come early, if there is no seating space
for you, you were warned. How do you expect the rest of the fashion
world to take us seriously once those photos circulate?
Parking space- I literally had to park everyday by 4 pm for a show
that didn’t start till 9 pm because I was not ready to park at
Silverbird Galleria and start walking back to Federal palace in heels,
or running back and forth to pick up equipment from the car trunk. My
colleague almost got robbed during this shuttling back and forth on
one of the days he was not early enough to park inside. The solution?
Get an additional lot somewhere else and get a shuttle to pick people
and drop them off to their cars at the said lot.
The hallowed front row- People with front row tags were made to stand
up for “celebrities” to sit down. I witnessed another press person
being moved out of her seat because some celeb was coming the seat was
reserved, the said press person had a front row tag as well. I really
could not wrap my head around why you would move someone who obviously
needed a good view for photographs to put up and publicize your show
for an individual who’s only job there was to sit and look pretty.
This incident happened on the final day, by the way.
Like I said earlier, I am really appreciative of what the show has
come to represent but at no point should any of us accept mediocrity
in the name of supporting an industry. Please note that I have put
solutions at the end of each problem because I believe in constructive
criticism. Cheers.
