Art and jewellery enthusiasts especially lovers of fashion experienced the beauty and richness of Craft Fest Jewellery Show and exhibition which was held recently in Lagos.
The Craft Fest Jewellery Show provided a unique opportunity for gem and jewellery enthusiasts to connect with designers, strategic jewellery partners, leading vendors and professional retailers from all over the world.
The event was held on the 6th and 7th of July 2018 at Federal Palace Hotel, V.I Lagos. The exhibition brought together hundreds of participants from all over Nigeria (gem & jewellery companies, designers and vendors) who sought cross-border opportunities across a range of gem-focused industries.
Also of interest at the fair was the master-classes that enabled the participants master the business side of their craft
Speaking on the inspiration behind the exhibition, Mrs. Oluseyi Abdullahi, CEO of Crafties and the convener of Craft Fest Jewellery show said:” We pioneered the craft fest jewellery show about 16 years ago. After the trainings, I discovered that the participants have not really been able to come under one umbrella to showcase their works to Nigerians and the whole world. We are trying to promote those who do things with their hands, in this case the jewellery business and the jewellery gem stones. I have a sense of responsibility towards these jewellers. Someone has to make sure they have the right platform to be seen and exhibit their products. Many people don’t know that Nigeria is so blessed with gem stones. One of the things that inspired Craft Fest it is to actually give visibility to this industry”, she told TheNewsGuru.
On the growth of the industry, Abdullahi noted that the high Nigerian exchange rate made it possible for Nigerians to look inwards and patronize the Nigerian craft and jewellery industry.
“When the exchange rate went so high, people no longer hand a choice than to start looking inwards. With that more people are now looking at what they can do in Nigeria. Most of the jewelleries are made in Nigeria from the start. To have achieved all these things in 16 years is remarkable.I think we have made progress. We have a large market, a large population in Nigeria. The broader vision is to make sure this keeps growing and expanding”.