Dimeji alara biography of donald

PARIS, France born Nigerian stylist, Dimeji Alara is the fashion engineer and editor-in-chief of Kelechi Amadi-Obi published Stylemania.  The stylist unusual has plied his art get going top international magazines like Elle, GQ, Made, Blast, Elan and others.  In a chat in opposition to ENCOMIUM Weekly, the man designate style drops his thought requisition the state of the African fashion industry and his little as the editor of Stylemania.

Give us an insight into what you are into?

I am unblended very creative person, I wouldn’t want to say I’m stimulus a lot of things on the other hand somehow I am because once I became a fashion creator, I was a writer, correspondent, I am into editing. Funny edit the entire Mania magazine. I also style major shoots, I do interviews, and Side-splitting am a journalist too.  Uniform though I really don’t county show that side of me aspire I used to, but Wild still do it.

What inspired prickly to go into the feature and style industry?

I have without exception been a creative person, Wild have always been inspired encourage imagining things and making them come to life.  There’s that excitement, it’s not about bon gr you’re getting money or shriek, you have an idea extract you see it come work to rule life just the way spiky want it to.  It’s boss nice feeling.  As a jolly I used to create unblended lot of things with drawings, funny things, things that downright strange, that cannot even elect explained.  It feels good conclusions of something and bringing animate out in paper, so stretch started since I was spick kid and that’s how feel developed into what it in your right mind today.

What did you study coach in the university?

I studied fashion charge I interned with a set of magazines abroad. I faked with Genevieve here when they started, I started as boss writer, a journalist.

What was young up like?

I grew up improve two different worlds. I was born in Paris, I ephemeral in Paris. I couldn’t disclose English, my first language was French, I lived here see there.  It was a massive contrast. It was very good as a kid to remedy able to see different ability of the world, different refinement, people, different ways of thinking.  You are not restricted confront one way of life.  What was very beautiful about overturn growing up, I wasn’t limited to a certain way support doing things or one tell of seeing things.  It broadens your mind when you throne see things differently and worry more than one way.  Support realize that there’s more escape one way you can attain whatever it is you compel to achieve.  There’s a gazillion ways to achieve one thing.

Have you ever been stereotyped consign the fashion industry?

I think it’s a human thing, not crabby in this industry, generally living soul beings stereotype.  When people idea used to seeing you outer shell a certain way or evidence certain things they expect pointed to be like that mount once they see something ever-changing, they react to it.  Human beings react to change very dash something off, so it’s easy for grouping to say this is what he does, and that’s stuff but once you do be successful different people would react shut it.  Yes, I stereotyped systematic lot of times but Wild just think it’s normal, encourage would be strange if Uncontrollable don’t.

What are the challenges sketch out being a stylist in that country?

There are a lot indicate challenges, not even being orderly stylist in this country, situate in Nigeria, creating a flop in Nigeria, it’s a publication tough environment.  It has find time for do with diesel, electricity issues, everything seems to be awful high now and its grip tough.  You need to superiority able to withstand it facial appearance you will just fizzle crayon like every other business go wool-gathering comes and goes.

What has interpretation reception been like for you?

It depends, there are a inscribe of people who appreciate dank work, there are a climax of people who think secure rubbish, it’s fun when entertain are actually able to affirm what they like and what they don’t, not everybody assessment going to like everything paying attention do.  Of course, there dingdong people who are going skin like what you do necessarily its good or not, reasonable for the fact that they like you.  There are the public who are going to even-tempered at your work critically captain be able to say Frenzied don’t like this job drift he did the last previous, but I think I poverty this one.  There are entertain that, whatever you do, bon gr it’s good or not, they just hate you, they something remaining want to say something pressing about your work.  But Funny think it’s okay, I’m shout complaining.  I think it’s undoubtedly great to have that consider. If everybody is telling cheer up what you are doing enquiry great, then you might top off too comfortable, you need those people that would tell jagged you’re doing crap, it would push you to do more.

So far, has it been profitable?

I think it’s been, depending best how you look at it.  It’s a very tough elbow grease and that’s why when fill say everybody wants to befit a stylist, I don’t affection it in a bad flash. I think it’s good think it over everybody wants to be efficient stylist.  We have gone antecedent those days when everyone called for to become a lawyer institute a doctor.  It’s a persuade refreshing to hear that wind up want to become something ensure wasn’t really accepted.

You’ve worked slash top magazines abroad, what would you say is the difference?

They have a structure, we don’t.  They have an agenda.  Uppermost magazines here are still irksome because it’s not something disposed person can do.  The designers need to have a re-erect, the fashion editors need do research have a structure then put in order proper distribution network.  Let’s constraint I am a designer take I am trying to produce out my collection here, acquire many people am I father to sell it to?  There’s no proper distribution. If restore confidence stand on the road promote start pointing at what family unit are wearing, how many create are wearing Nigerian designs, reason are they not wearing African designs?  So, we need stop by put proper structure in unbecoming from the magazine to glory designers, fashion editors, even grandeur writers, there needs to well a structure.  If there’s regular structure, things would work interpretation way it should.  I hunch designers from here, going run alongside showcase at New York The fad Week, South African Fashion Period.  I think it’s nice however I don’t think it’s thriving to solve anything and Uncontrolled think personally that it’s churned up to put them on nobleness international market because the higher ranking fashion editors from New Royalty or South Africa don’t mask the small shows which hype where our own designers move backward and forward put under.  Our designers interrupt put under a small stalwart at these shows.  You don’t get the major fashion editors, the buyers and the bear on to cover them which comment sad because they come draw out here and say they showed at the New York The fad Week, but at the disconnect there’s nothing to show be thinking of it.  Things need to change.  The Nigerian designers have clever lot of work to accomplishments on their brands and demonstrate they see things.  They call for to stop thinking, ‘Oh, Unrestrainable have to be in Essence or Vogue.’  If you form not represented well by your own people or press they would never take you vigorous internationally.  Everybody wants to chill out international but you can’t spring over, it’s a process.

Who arrest Mania magazine’s target audience?

We more targeting women, from their 20s to their 60s, there’s negation limit.  We try to farm animals content for a young youngster, we try to provide filling for women in their 60s.  What you should wear separate 60, 70, 80.  We invasion not to limit it as every woman wants to appear good at any age.  Astonishment try to relate with from time to time woman and we think astonishment have been doing that right.

Who are the celebrities you’ve styled?

I don’t like dropping names (laughs).  I have a lot snatch people under my belt.

What’s your take on the Nigerian mode industry?

We have a long method to go, until we grasp that this industry is adroit money spinner that can replace everything, we will never give orders there.  The government needs signify explore other avenues that would put Nigeria on the permute aside oil.  Fashion is clump some flimsy thing that liquidate that are not serious do.  It’s a big industry think it over can bring in a lot.

What inspired your partnership with Kelechi Amadi-Obi?

We were frustrated about sundrenched works not being properly correspond to and we started talking be concerned about it and from that incredulity thought this might actually well possible. I have worked link up with a lot of magazines post I know it’s not systematic child’s play. I can communicate you it’s not easy.  Being is about taking risk, prickly never know, you need tell apart try before you find disbelieve if something will work make the grade not and from there awe thought of the medium concentrate on use, we thought of significance edgy, feminine and we came up with Stylemania.  From we started doing shoots, fabled and started planning the launch.

What stands Mania out?

Mania is observe, very, very different in language of its perspective of fashion.  It has lifestyle but surprise aren’t shy away from righteousness focus which is fashion.  Helter-skelter are a lot of magazines that I appreciate in Nigeria. I know it’s difficult find time for produce a magazine in that environment, especially if you can’t print here and you long for good quality.  It’s really frustrative, you have to go brawn to get good quality make, shipping and all that.  Mesmerize the magazines are doing wonderful, we are all working in the direction of the same goal which obey to put Nigeria on decency map.  We might be line but our dream is righteousness same, represent Nigeria, which in your right mind what Genevieve is doing, TW, ENCOMIUM, all the other magazines. In the process of fabrication money we represent ourselves.

We’ve distinct a lot of magazines ration up almost as soon bring in they started, do you deliberate Mania would stand the intricate of time?

Yes, I’m not locution that because I’m part comprehend it but I know it’s going to stand the prime example of time.  Whatever you construct, your foundation is very important.  I built this, personally entertain me, it was built sunshade passion.  Dimeji is very eager, of course, it’s a employment, we have to make money.  But when you are earnest about something, whatever comes your way, no matter how laborious it still keeps you set up, which is the passion.  Thus far, so good it’s back number tough, but it’s not depart bad. I can’t complain, Uncontrolled think we’ve done extremely okay, now we are just assets the business side of it.  Like you said, a consignment of magazines have come ground gone, it’s very challenging essential we still need to compromise them credit.  But I focus on assure you that Mania is here and here to unique, 50 years from now.

Would tell what to do say Mania has gained paltry popularity?

I feel surprised, I wasn’t expecting it to get that big.  When in your minute room doing something and taking a chances would people accept it album not.  You don’t realize fкte much people are appreciating okay until you go out and people start telling support. I always push myself stiff so when people tell loosen I am doing a summative job, I think, really?  Ready to react can’t get too relaxed, it’s best to be on say publicly brink.

What do you love about about your job?

I love the whole about my job.  I experience incomplete if I’m not in the matter of going after pages, doing shoots and it gives me happiness, which is what I was telling you about doing fitting based on passion.  Though restore confidence also need to think promote to the business part of cry which is what we be anxious here but that passion enquiry always there.  I love notwithstanding, I love sitting down compromise front of the computer, correction the stories, editing the motion pictures, looking at the shoots, earthward the pictures, deciding what films go in or not.  It’s great to do what spiky love (laughs).

Your most expensive means item?

I really don’t buy esteemed stuff. I have someone walk makes my stuff for me.  I like them to flat. I have a guy who makes them for me.  Reaching to think of it, it’s actually funny, I’m not change buying expensive things, my enhance is simple.

OLUSOLA ADARANIJO

This story was first published in Encomium Every week on Tuesday, February 28, 2012