Africa’s largest tech and digital media event Social Media Week begins on the 4th of February 2018 and BellaNaija Style will be hosting a panel on the 7th of February titled “The Democratisation of Fashion: New Media, Storytelling & The Role of Technology in the African Fashion Industry” – a panel discussion with 3 industry leaders in the country at #SMWxBNSTYLE19.
Meet one of our panellists – Wana Sambo
Wana Sambo is the Founder and CEO of the award-winning womenswear brand, Wana Sambo Clothing. She has a certificate in Fashion Marketing from the London College of Fashion and is a graduate (magna cum laude) of International Relations and Diplomacy of Igbinedion University, Edo state.
With a British Vogue feature and having been declared by Okay Africa as a “Fashion Game changer”, listing the Wana Sambo brand as “one of the top 11 fashion brands you need to know”, being a panelist on several fashion panels, and having a handmade, ready-to-wear brand that is currently thriving in the Nigerian economy, we can successfully call her a fashion business/marketing guru.
The Wana Sambo brand’s first collection was launched in December 2010 and has since then become a household name in Nigeria with its flagship store in Lagos Nigeria and an Online store which ships globally. The brand’s first runway event for the Wana Sambo brand was a charity event/auction for an orphanage called “Haven for the Nigerian child” and the brand has since then graced several runway shows the world over and has been seen on various notable celebrities who star in its campaigns and lookbooks.
“My inspiration is drawn from the most inexplicable sources. The other day, I was taking a walk around my house, I saw a pond which had a flower, the water lily/pond lily, its white and pinkish colors inspired a collection which started through a piece. I dream up designs in my sleep. Weird, but I’m thankful for such gift.”
– Wana Sambo
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In a hyper-connected digital age, it can be a challenge for brands to tell their stories and cut through the noise with clarity and credibility. Add in a broken distribution system, a news cycle that moves at warp speed and heated political and social climate – social media can feel fraught with peril for both established and emerging brands.
We intend to discuss with Wana Sambo and other creative fashion leaders who have mastered the elusive balance between technology and fashion and are at the forefront of shaping the industry’s future.
Date: Thursday February 7, 2019
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Experience Stage