‘I have trained over 70 girls in fashion-designing

If you are a woman and you use your talent or career to empower other women or girl-child, you are definitely adhering to the maxim that says when you train a woman, she would train the world. How else can you give back to the society if you cannot say with conviction that this is the person you have empowered!

Valerie Boglo, the CEO, Valisimo Fashion House, a graduate of Mass Communication, says she has empowered over 70 girls using what she has talent for. She does this, as she says, in order to help the society.

“Though I studied Mass Communication, I opted for fashion designing because of my undying dream for fashion right from the time I was a child. I started learning how to make dresses at the age of nine and that was when my passion for fashion began. Over time, I went to school and I was still learning how to sew partly. That was truly my beginning into the journey of fashion. I opened my outfit some years ago and it has been fulfilling apart from the fact that one of my biggest challenges in this business is the erratic supply of electricity.

“It is usually very difficult to do a lot of things when you don’t have power supply. I wasn’t satisfied doing this business without using it to empower others. That was why I opened a fashion academy. I can proudly say that I have trained and empowered over 70 students who are notable fashion designers,” she affirmed.

Interestingly, what motivates her creations is what she comes across in the streets.

“My everyday life inspires my styles. I might go on the street of Lagos and see some people dressed up, individuals going about their daily activities. Every day is a runway for me. Each day people dress up to step out, that is a mini fashion runway for me and I derive my inspiration from what I see people wear,” she revealed.

Regardless of the fact that Nigerian women are highly fashionable, there are some fashion blunders that get on her nerves.

“When I see women wear tight dresses as if they were forced into them puts me off. Also, when I see a wrong figure putting on a wrong dress pisses me off. This messes the whole thing up because no matter how beautiful and expensive a dress is, if it is not your size, it will not look good for you. There is no dress that doesn’t have its fitting. But if a wrong body frame is putting it on, definitely it is not going to look good. I still insist that ladies wear their right size of dresses. Also, dress the way you want to be addressed. This is important. If you dress in such a provocative way, people would address you that way. If you dress with a sense of having other people in mind, then you will be respected. Dress for people to admire you, don’t dress for people to talk down on you,” she counselled.

Does this also apply to plump ladies?

“Oh yes, this also applies to fat ladies because I believe they too can be fashionable. It is just that the media tend to promote strikingly slender figures a lot. That is why it looks as if plus-sized ladies are not meant to be fashionable. So, even if you are plump, as far as you wear a dress that is your size, you would look good. You may really opt for caftans, but not all the time anyway. But remember there are some caftans that are very sexy. Although there are some that would make you look like a mummy and there are others that would make you look like a chic. So go on those sexy ones and make sure the colour suits your complexion. Put into consideration your body shape. There is the round figure shape, there is the figure eight woman, and so on. Now, when you know your size, you would know how to dress well. But if you do not know your size and you are putting on a dress meant for another body shape, you would look funny,” the fashion pundit said.

Also, colour can make a fat ladies appear slimmer.

“This depends on the shape of your face. If your face is roundish, sometimes if you put on black, you may look funny. It therefore depends on your physique. That is why I would not limit colours to some people. I would say pair your colours very well. If you do, no matter what, they would look good on you,” she affirmed.

There is something that thrills this fashionista a lot.

“That I can turn a fabric into a dress wearable and functional for someone thrills me a whole lot. When I see pregnant women dressed in right styles, I also feel thrilled. I would say dress appropriately. If you are pregnant, you don’t need to wear very tight tops such that the size of your stomach would be on display. Also, if you are above some certain age, please limit your colours and leave such for the younger ones. There are styles that can grace an adult. If you are not a baby, please don’t dress like one. Don’t dress half-nude if you want people to respect you. That is my bottom line on fashion. Every day that you wake is a new opportunity to perfect your styles. Also remember that in fashion there is nothing like you know it all. So, if you commit a fashion blunder, ensure you correct yourself next time and move on,” she counselled.

By ADAEZE AMOS