Maryam Elisha: I ‘ll Be Getting Married Very Soon
Maryam Elisha: I ‘ll Be Getting Married Very Soon
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Maryam Elisha
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Rikaoto is one of the leading couture brands in Nigeria
today. Over the years, the fashion line has proved exceptional and
unique in their pieces based on client’s personalities. Beautiful and
radiant, Maryam Elisha is the Creative Director of the brand. She talks
to Tosin Clegg about her brand, clientele and plans for her company
We focus on the wow look kind of fabrics…
At Rikaoto, we focus on the wow look kind of fabrics, making it look
different. What makes this exceptional is that we use a mixture of
English and African while most people focus on one. We are in the modern
days whereby most clients that we get say they want to be African and a
little bit of English. So we do classic as we marry the two to fit the
personalities of clients. We are at present working on a collection and
we are going to launch our fashion show very soon. It’s going to be
really fun having different collections of ours for different clients.
We’ve been doing lots of bridals lately…
Because it’s like a wedding season and lot of people have recognised
the Rikaoto brand as one of their first choice to work with and we are
grateful about that. Also we have been doing reception dresses and now
people like to change to another attire after their normal white outfit
from church or mosque. We are approaching the season of pageantry too
and we have been doing a lot of those wears and we are lucky to have
different pageant winners emerge wearing Rikaoto just like the last Miss
Charismatic and so many of them. It’s been great and fun working with
different class and personalities.
I don’t have a particular kind of fabric I use…
What I try to do as a fashion designer is to convert what I have
available into something different and unique. We could have a normal
fabric but the way I would deliver would be quite different from the way
any other person would interpret the fabric. I like to use less of the
main fabric and more of different combinations to figure out a dress.
Most of the time, that’s what I do and people keep asking what kind of
fabrics is this and I tell them it’s about four different fabrics here
put together and that’s what I do. It’s more of creating the type of
fabrics we use than using one particular fabric.
I would just say we are affordable…
Affordable maybe expensive for Mr. A or C; it may be cool or affordable
for another person. So we are just affordable and that’s what I can say
as we are not so expensive like so many others that I may know. My idea
of fashion is to build a brand people can afford and it’s very
fantastic, such that people can afford with detailing and good
finishing.
Lately, I have been judge on different pageantry…
It’s been great having been invited as a judge on different pageants
lately. I love pageantry as I started as a model and won a beauty
pageant. It’s just completely fantastic seeing young girls wearing
different gowns of different designers and of course I’m a fashion
designer and I love to see creative works on stage. And I love to see
upcoming girls answering questions just like I did in the past. It
reminds me of them but I have been doing that lately though.
I won’t be able to mention names of people I’ve made pieces for…
We have been lucky to have great personalities as our clients. And I
don’t love to mention the names of clients but just like the
Ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, we were assigned to be one of the
fashion houses to make wears for him throughout his tenure. We are lucky
to have that and have such great personality believe in made in Nigeria
and African brand doing this and I was called upon to do this; it’s
really honoring and I am grateful. Of course we have been making lots of
clothes for actors and actresses, beauty queens, models, brides such as
Ibinabo Ferasima and lots more but I can’t remember all.
Fusion of entertainment and fashion…
Entertainment industry is in a circle form in the sense that we have an
artiste that needs to look like one we see in videos and stuff like
that so the business goes in circle in the sense that it compliments
each other. So, the fashion and entertainment industries all come
together to make a celebrity. Fashion is really getting there as we have
top actors and musicians celebrating major brands.
Rikaoto is a creative brand…
We are not necessarily focused on one particular segment of fashion. We
are that brand that if you want this particular thing and want it
achieved, we would get it done. So, it doesn’t have to be restricted but
we put it the way out clients want. We are an African brand that
delivers the need of our clients. Our brand is focusing on giving our
community that kind of look they deserve and personally. I like to dress
people who are going to get married, contesting for a pageant and that
kind of wow red carpet looks. But generally we are creative.
I will be getting married very soon…
I don’t like to talk about my private life but I know soon someone is
going to propose and probably my surname is going to change. And I don’t
have to say if there is someone or not and if there is nobody I have
faith someone will come.
Olamide, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Sound Sultan for GOAT Concert
OSD Entertainment has revealed Olamide, Olu Maintain, Shaydee, Styl
Plus, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Sound Sultan, Aramide and Tony Tetuila as the
headliners for the debut edition of its Greatest of All Times (GOAT)
concert. The concert is to hold on November 14th 2015 at the Shell Hall
of the MUSON Center. Aimed at celebrating musicians who have made the
most impact in Nigeria’s urbane music culture from the 90s, the GOAT
concert will feature nostalgic and dazzling performances from old and
new school artistes. With a fusion of old and new music experiences, the
GOAT concert promises to be the mother of all concerts. The concert
will also feature classic hits that ruled the airwaves from the 90s to
date.
Elvis Chuks Premieres new TV Series
The award-winning film maker and actor, Elvis Chucks has premiered his
new TV series ‘Royal Castle‘ at Raddison Blu Hotel, Victoria Island,
Lagos aboard a ‘Yatch’. The new TV series, produced by Diamond Groove
pictures, tells the story of the Nigerian class system, following the
lives of everyday people, from the rich and famous to those at the
lowest rung of the ladder. The show builds on storylines of betrayal,
deception, corruption in high places, and love that unites all. It is
designed to bring together families of all tribes, races and religions
in understanding the common challenges faced by families regardless of
their status or background.
Royal Castle stars some of the finest Nigerian acting talents including
Victor Olaotan, Chris Attoh, Yul Edochie, Gloria Young and others who
were all present at the premier.
Lifestyle Marche DebutsLifestyle Marche, a one day event targeted at
bringing together visitors and the vendors; families, young and mature
adults, fun seekers who have yearned to experience a different form of
shopping, networking with good music and lot’s more held recently in
Lagos.
It was a red carpet carnival-like event with a lot of pomp and pageantry when it took place last weekend at Berkeley’s Hotel.
Exhibitors at the event were Chocolate Cafe, Stone Appeal, Orlaj
Interiors, Woowww Clothings, Lamax Accessories, B’s Fashion, The Shoe
Store, Dotmagenta Fabrics, House of Bora, Sansiro Perfumes, Shadecrown,
Sheyshey Fashions, Solmid Royal Concept, Suzzy Accessories and Kingserve
mobile.
