Nigerian
Modelling Agent Tunde Afolabi Speaks On Fashion And Modelling Industry In
Nigeria.
In
the world of Modelling and Fashion around the world today, many models fall
victim to Scam agency and find themselves trapped in no profession such as a
model, lots of aspiring models experience such things these days. Eazymedia had
a one on one chat with an Agency recently and he made it clear in his words the
true meaning of Model agency.
EAZYMEDIA: Sir Can we meet you
Tunde: I’m Tunde Afolabi, CEO Create Ur World Agency
EM: Ok!
When did you establish your agency Create Ur World?
Tunde: Create Ur World agency was discovered in the
year 2006, and the motive behind it is to empower and create a platform for
young people who want to take up modelling as a career, before I have been in
the modelling and fashion business since 2005, I got my first commercial job 23rd
of December 2005, and I did the job till the year 2006, It’s a postal Job and I
made use of 10 models, each of them were paid N15,000 and it all summed up to
N150,000, and that was when I saw the seriousness of the business, that was
what prompted me to start up my own agency. One faithful day I was sitting at
home and saw an advert on Galaxy Television of a Nigerian Team Fashion Show,
and I approached them and gave them a proposal of supplying them models to
showcase their Fashion Show, and they bought the Idea and that was how I got
involved in the Fashion Show, also they had a program called ‘Dating Game Show’
I was asked to be the Instructor to be grooming the models before they go on
set for recording, though I wasn’t going to be getting paid for my services,
but I never looked at the monetary aspect, as a business oriented person, I saw
it as an opportunity to promote my Organization, like I said before, my
Organization is to empower young people in the area of modelling and fashion. I
was glad and I started taking up the models before they go on set for
recording, all the models were given money for participating and the winner
gets special treat in a very big Restaurant In Nigeria, and that my friend gave
me a break into the industry, and as at then, there were lots of scam agency
all of over the place, it was difficult to identify a true Modelling Agent, and
that is one of the big problem in the Modelling industry, when you introduce
yourself as an agent, people find it hard to believe you because of what some
scam agent had done in the past. The opportunity given to me through this
program on television really gave me an edge, also catapulted me into the movie
industry as a member of Actors Guild of Nigeria AGN, a lot of upcoming actors
and actresses were now coming to me and I introduce them into the Fashion
program.
EM:
Apart from grooming other models, does your organization has its own models, or
models you’ve trained that has become a household name in the Modelling and
Fashion Industry?
Tunde: I have lots of models presently and also have so many models I
trained before now that have grown in the industry, I started my modelling
training in 2006, and I was making use a spot in the gymnasium hall at the
National stadium Surulere In Lagos, I thought my models about modelling
definition, modelling theory and rudiment, cat walk and many more. Yes there
are models that I trained who are big in the Industry right now, the likes of
‘Oshan, Deji Bakare (Mr. Nigeria), Nosa David, Tosin Fasanya a lot of them that
I can’t really remember all of their names any longer, sometimes I go for a
Fashion show and some of them come to me to say hi, and they have to remind me
of the period they were with my agency, then I remember their names and faces because
I had a whole lot of them in my agency, there was one who sent me a mail just
to appreciate my work and had to remind by telling me he was one of the models
during Oshan set, I was like wow! I recently saw Oshan at Nigeria Fashion Week
walking on the run way, I was really proud to see her at that level, it gives
me joy seeing models that I groomed making it in the industry, like Nosa David,
I discovered him last year, Deji Bakare I discovered 3 years ago, lots of them
that we hardly see each other but they are doing well in the industry.
EM: Do
you participate in Fashion Shows organized in the country? Or do you organize
Fashion Shows of your own?
Tunde: Yes I do, I’m a Producer, I produce fashion show, and I’ve done a
lot of fashion show for others such like ‘Zero to Hero’ for Mr. Nigeria Project
Launch, AmVictorious Super Models 2012, the recent one I did was ‘The 75 Years
Anniversary of Ikoyi Golf Club’ there I produced the Cultural Fashion show and
it was fantastic, also I did Miss Tourism and Museum Birthday Party which
conducted the Fashion show, Surulere Trade Fair, and lots of them, and I get
paid for all these jobs I mentioned.
EM:
What are the challenges you faced or still facing presently that sometimes make
you think of quitting, or what is it that keeps you going?
Tunde: There were many challenges I was facing then, majorly Funds, even
though I wasn’t putting money first in the business, I was more interested in
building a structure for my Agency, that way people find it difficult to
believe in my work. What keeps me strong and going is the passion I have for
the job, I have the passion of encouraging young people, and what gives me joy
so much is when I see those young people I started building from zero level
getting to high places, I smile at events like that and it makes me want to do
more.
EM:
Apart from producing other Fashion show, does your agency organize Fashion or
Modelling show?
Tunde: Sure I have my own show that I’ve produced, I came up with 2 kinds
of show since I started my organization, the first one was in 2009 and that was
Catwalk Exhibition, it was a platform for promoting upcoming models, but now it
has generated to stakeholders in the business, because when you’re talking
about modelling, you’re talking about fashion, so the same stakeholders that
are making fashion business are also making modelling business, modelling and
fashion are interwoven, so catwalk exhibition is now a platform for fashion
stakeholders to promote themselves, young and established, models, designer,
bead makers, makeup artist, dealer in all kinds of fashion accessories, it’s a
market place event. I realise that fashion is being introduced in the entertainment
business today, they introduce fashion in concert and carnivals, but the
organizers of these concert or carnivals are not informed enough about fashion
business, they are not creative enough. Fashion show is a concept used to
promoting or advertising fashion accessories, such like the billboard and TV
commercials, and it is the fastest way of promoting fashion accessories, and
has been accepted all over the world, there is no way you call yourself a top
designer without having your cloths on the way. Now when you are introducing
fashion show into concert or carnivals, it shouldn’t be like the normal fashion
show, because you are entertaining not marketing, may be most of these people
are not creative or productive as I am, they are limited, I developed what is
called ‘catwalk entertainment’ it’s an infusion of Drama, Dance and acrobatic,
this way, such show can be used for concert, it can also be used for branding,
there is what is called catwalk branding, this is what catwalk entertainment is
all about. So these are the two concepts of event I’ve developed, catwalk
exhibition and catwalk entertainment. Catwalk exhibition is meant for
stakeholders to promote their brand or creativity, while catwalk entertainment
is used for entertainment such as concert, carnivals, branding and marketing.
EM: As
the year is running out, are there other shows you intend to organize?
Tunde: Like they say all work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy (laughs) I’ve done a whole lot so I won’t be organizing any show,
but I’ll be producing wow fashion show for Glamour Night with Nigerian Models
this month, so by next year My show will resume which the advert is already
running, it’s one of my show called catwalk exhibition, so if you are into
fashion, bead making, makeup, or dealer in all kinds of fashion accessories, upcoming
models and what have you, come and register. It’s going to be the first edition
for 2014, this will be the sixth edition all together, I intend making it a
quarterly event, holding three times in a year, so the first edition for 2014
will coming up by April, interested stakeholders are welcome, and also aspiring
models too.
EM:
Ok! What can you say about Fashion and Modelling business Nigeria?
Tunde: I’ve been in this industry for the past 8
years now, so whatever I say is the fact, because I’ve done lots of study about
it both home and abroad, Nigeria is not there yet, though we are improving
because modelling now is way better than modelling of ten years ago, we have
people surviving in modelling today, professional models are making a living
from it, but if you compare to international standard, we are there yet, in
other countries like Us, Uk or even in South Africa, a model does a job for a
year, he or she is well paid and lives very ok, but here in Nigeria it’s not
done this way, but I believe we’ll get there, as long as we are improving, we
need to take the business serious, and we have lots of miscreant which is a big
problem in the industry, lots of people plan crash into this business and take
it for granted, there is different between being a creative person and being a
business person, you’ll see our concept is unique and different, we come from a
business angle, catwalk exhibition is bringing the fashion stakeholders, the
retailers and the buyers, linking them together. We invite lots of guest from
different industries, banks and many more to the show and create space for
audience because it’s a free show, so they all turn up for the show and
patronize the stakeholders. The designers might pick interest in any of the
models and decides to make them their personal model, that way the model makes
more money, which is what catwalk exhibition is all about, as a fashion
producer; you have to be business oriented, that way you can afford to pay your
models. Most producers tell designer to come showcase free of charge, no it’s
not done that way, you must generate money to put things right, I don’t do
such, in catwalk exhibition you’ll pay to participate in showcasing. That way
we can pay our models, organize the show in a way you’ll make your own money.
Until we start seeing this as a profession where we can make our living, then
we’ll start doing it right. It’s not all about the glamour, I’m not a media
freak person, I’ve been in this business for 8 years and I’m highly known, many
might not know the face, I’m not after the glamour, but the business.
EM: So
Mr. T, what’s your advice to those who intend to start up their career in
Fashion and Modelling business?
Tunde: First all get trained; create ur world agency
is into management, promotion and training, so it’s an agency and a school,
when you are not trained, you cannot succeed or make a living with modelling,
you can only get paid when you are good at the job. Secondly, get the right
agency, there is nothing like freelance modelling anywhere in the world, the
advertisers who intend to make a commercial does not call a model directly, they
call on agency, if you are not under any agency, the advertisers will take
advantage of you, they pay far less than what you are suppose to be paid. So
I’ll advise you to get groomed, and get signed under an agency. Same thing goes
to the designers, get proper training, like a friend of mine who has a fashion
school Jinani Gold Limited, he’s one of the best pattern maker in this country,
she has trained over 700 designers, and they are doing well both home and
abroad, she has been in the business since 90s. So you must be trained to be
upright in the business. Be careful in jumping into an agency, make research
about any agency before signing up with them, lots of models has fallen victim
of scam agency, at the end they get robbed or even some of them get raped in
the process, thank God for technology, go online and make research, that way
you can have idea of what you are venturing in. So get trained, get informed
and get the right people to work with.
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