DRESS SMART, LOOK SIMPLE

 Babalola Yusuf Abiola

Gbenga  ogundiran was disturbed, worried and uneasy in the lecture room, he could not listen attentively to what the lecturer have for him for the day as what occupied his mind was the advertising seminar he must attend at the end of the month.

However, to be allowed into the seminar room he must dress up in suit, this is the source of worry for Gbenga as none of the fashion designer he has come in contact with is capable of giving him the good shape he craved for.

At last, he was able to get a man who got his explanation and promised him a good suit but this was after he has spent over an hour describing to the designer how he wants his suit to look like after sewing.

After finishing the job, Gbenga was still not comfortable with the suit the designer made for him given that he decided to learn fashion designing since he initially have background knowledge for good shapes and wears.

 

• Gbenga Ogundiran posing with one of the suits he designed

According to Gbenga, the chief executive of Crystal Clothing “when I was in the polytechnic many years ago, I go to designers to describe how they will make my cloth for me but they most times don’t get it but as God would want it, I was unable to get a place where I will have my Industrial Training so I decided to learn fashion.

 “That was how I started, but I will say my love for fashion and the ability to have a dynamic way of dressing pushed me into fashion designing,” he reminiscence.

He explained further that Crystal clothing is not all about fashion but also on making people up for occasion and educating people on what to wear to a particular occasion including shapes that suit various designs.

The Lagos state university advertising undergraduate held that though he is still a potential advertising practitioner, he is not ready to leave the vocation that gives him joy for anything because fashion designing has been part of his life.

“Though I am still a student studying public relations and advertising at Lagos state university but fashion is my passion. I can’t leave it for anything, I will soon be certified as public relations and advertising practitioner Still, I see fashion as my passion and as part of my life. 

His continued “I have been certified by the Nigerian union of Tailor (NUT), and have seen a lot of people excel in the fashion industry, around the world, there are Dolce and Gabana, Ralph Lauren, Versace and host of other big names that are doing well, so as a Nigerian designer, I wanted to affect the country and everybody in my fashion way,” he said.

When asked about his plan for his cloth line in the nearest future, the Lagos based designer said “crystal clothing will not be competing but will rather make impact in the fashion world, though we are in a world of competition but my cloth line will rather make impression that will last long in the fashion world than put its endeavors on competition,” he concluded.

Gbenga Ogundiran can be contacted on 08032324409