International professional model and Creative Director, Kaydav Models Agency, Mr Oseni Kayode Hammed has observed that, when properly harnessed, the fashion industry promises to be more viable and even bigger than the petroleum industry.
In terms of economic growth, Oseni noted that the fashion industry has provided gainful employments for youths in the country.
He therefore, advised the government to do more in reposition the sector, so as to derive the inherent benefits in the sector.
Speaking to Travelers Magazine recently, Oseni explained how huge and impactful the local fashion market is, stressing that such sector needs to be turned around for good.
According to him, the career line has taken a lot of young ladies out from prostitution and has also discouraged other social vices by keeping the youths busy.
Emphasizing on the importance of the fashion industry, the supermodel said “we are working in that aspect. In this aspect of the government, I will never stop saying they should have vision for this industry. It is not all about petroleum. The fashion industry is even bigger than that of petroleum. Yes, everybody wears clothes everyday, but not everyone uses petrol. We have people that trek, board motorcycles and some don’t have generator at home. If you see someone that doesn’t wear clothe, you will call the person a mad person. So, fashion is everything”.
Apart from fashion design, Oseni, an Accounts graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic informed that his agency is also into high fashion modelling, commercial modeling, commercial/brand ambassadorship, ushering, beauty pageant among others.
Aside from the fact that his agency is the official host of Ogun State Fashion Show Exhibition and Awards; Publisher of Fashion Business Magazine and the host of ‘Nigeria Model of The Year’, Kaydav Models Agency has also branded for TVC, Subfood Company and done many stuffs for Nigerian artistes.
Going down memory lane, Oseni explained how his journey into the fashion world started. He said “Like I said before, I started as a musician 15 years ago and I use to take my normal music pictures and people always accredit it calling me a model. So, from there I decided to input modelling into it because we have a lot of professional music artistes that are also models. So, from there I started doing it and people were reckoning with my brand, and then I started organising my own personal company, made it official and I started out with my models. Modelling goes beyond posing for cameras, it is a career on its own that people can do to make money”.
“From there, I had the projection of branding for companies, which we did for many prominent brands in Ogun State including designers. I had to figure out how to promote our models officially. So instead of seeking for someone to host a fashion show that will hire models, why can’t we do it ourselves. So, that was what brought the idea of Ogun State Fashion Show which is the first of its kind and the only outstanding show. We started in 2018, this year is going to be the third edition”, he added.
Oseni equally pointed out that African fabrics are fast shaping the ways things are being done in most parts of the world. For instance, he said that most top celebrities have started to infuse Adire into jeans, and the likes.
“Even Rihanna, Beyoncé, they infuse African vibes into their music videos. So, our African wears are featured and recognised. Talking about Ogun State designers, like I said, they are the major backbone to all these that we are seeing. In the next 5 to 10 years, you would see a bigger vision of Ogun State Fashion Show’, Oseni noted.
On how he handles competition, the fashion designer said “I don’t have competitors. I don’t compete with anybody because I used to tell people that I don’t think as a local person. If you think like a local person, you will have competitors. I’m distinct. I am a brand on my own”.
He however, disclosed that his unique selling point is his energy and a very strong zeal to succeed.
Lamenting the impact of Covid-19, Oseni noted that 90 per cent of firms, industries have collapsed, even before Covid-19 outbreak.
Despite the effects, he was the only one that hosted a very big event in Ogun State because he doesn’t believe in failure.
Advising Nigerian youths, he said “My advice is like 2face said, to be civilised is not all about education. Think about what you can do, what you can send out to people that will turn to money, because the way I see fashion, I don’t see fashion as clothing, I see fashion as a show business. What I’m doing now, people are here taking pictures, I’m doing business. So, they should see beyond the four corners of their classrooms. They should think of what they can project to the world that will turn out to be mind blowing”, he said.
