WE Are Staging AFRICA CELEBRATES, the Biggest Pan African Show in America 2024
-LEXY Mojo Eyes, Africa’s Iconic Fashion Entrepreneur
…historic ceremony packaged by Africa Union, UNESCO, Legendary Gold Limited
*Introduced Annual Nigeria’s Fashion Show in Africa’s most populous black nation since the 90’s, facilitate Nigerian designers, models’ catwalks to Paris, Milan, London; New York, Tokyo, promoted African Fashion in 37 countries in all continents around the world
*Received offers to teach African Fashion in Universities in the United States
*Appointed the only African on the Board of Governors of World Fashion Organization
*Honored Africa’s Fashion Legend by organizers of Chicago Fashion Week in USA
*Earlier signed contract with New York based Ford Models, which secured Nigerian representative at the Ford Supermodel of the World contest
*PLUS How he was hosted by the French President to a red carpet reception in Paris
*”Some of my evergreen moments include having our former president’s wife, Mrs Stella Obasanjo of blessed memory as one of our brand Ambassadors. Enjoyed the way she supported the Nigerian fashion industry in no small measure. I had the priviledge to address the Fashion Institute of Technology of the New York State University and the International Fashion Incubators Conference in Perth, Australia among others. Also, I was received by the French President, Francoise Hollande in Elysee Palace in Paris”-LEXY
LEXY MOJO-EYES is a household name in the African fashion industry and across the world. This enigma, a fashion icon, is regarded one of the highest authorities in the fashion sector in any continents around the world. He’s a pacesetter in the fashion industry in Nigeria, being a successful entrepreneur. In this rare chit-chat, with GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICA Senior Investigative Editor, this highly respected African celebrity talks about his journey into stardom, evergreen moments, how he was celebrated by the French President and many more:
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Take us through your adventures into the Fashion Industry in Nigeria?
We got the fashion industry in Nigeria started since 1990. Our goal was to reorient Nigerian designers to look inwards to local fabrics, accessories and designs in their production line. We also reoriented Nigerians to patronize the local fashion industry by wearing Nigerian clothes
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: How were you able to revolutionize the Fashion sector, discover talented designers and models in Africa’s most populous black nation in the world?
We kick started the process by introducing the first Nigerian national fashion event called Nigeria Fashion Show in 1996. The first criteria to participate is that you must use only local fabrics and accessories. In 2002, we introduced the Nigeria Fashion Week
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: How about some ground-breaking or evergreen moments in your Fashion career?
There were a lot. Some of them included having our former president’s wife, Mrs Stella Obasanjo of blessed memory as one of our brand Ambassadors. She supported the Nigerian fashion industry in no small measure. Addressing the fashion institute of Technology of the New York State University and the International Fashion Incubators Conference in Perth, Australia were others. Another one was being received by the French President, Francoise Hollande in Elysee Palace in Paris
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: What are your suggestions on how the Nigerian government can make Fashion a major image builder in the eyes of the international community and boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the country?
By getting the right players in the fashion industry to assist them in putting together a proper policy that will make the industry thrive in such a way that it can be the biggest employer of labour
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Have you tried to actively participate in London Fashion Show or New York Fashion Week or French Fashion ceremony?
Since 2000, I have taken Nigerian designers to the catwalks of Paris, Milan, London, New York, Tokyo etc. We have promoted African fashion in 37 countries in all continents around the world
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: What are the major projects you are working on in Africa, including your recent Photo-Ops with the African Union Permanent Representative to the United States of America in Washington DC?
Since 2013, we have stepped up our game to incorporate the whole of Africa in our promotional activities. To this end, we introduced the Africa Fashion Reception which we launched in Paris. It is in collaboration with the African Union and UNESCO. Furthermore, in 2021, we introduced a Pan Africa event called Africa Celebrates – Arts, Culture, Heritage, Tech & Business. The African Union hosts it annually in its headquarters in Addis Ababa. It is aimed at celebrating Africa and Africans both in Africa and the diaspora in all areas of human endeavour. In collaboration with the African Union Permanent Representative to the US, Africa Celebrates comes to the US in 2024. All arrangements towards the successful hosting of Africa’s biggest Pan African event is on top gear.
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Have you ever thought of teaching African Fashion in any American college based on your great accomplishments in Nigeria?
There are plans at higher level to do huge things in the US regarding African fashion
*NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER: Do take us through some of the awards you have received in the Fashion Industry from around the world
Uncountable awards from around the world since 1998. One of the latest was from the organizers of Chicago Fashion Week in the US. They were magnanimous enough to recognize my contribution in bringing African fashion to its present level
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