Super stylist Funmilayo Anifowose opens up that she became a fashion designer out of boredom after sitting for her Junior School Certificate Examination.
Funmilayo, a creative director of Oprah’s cut has worked professionally for seven years and has significant presence in the fashion industry for styling the award winning movie director Jade Oshiberu to the AMVCA awards 2 years ago and two of her collections was also on the show this year.
The 22-year-old also worked as an assistant costumier on the Sugar Rush movie.
Funmilayo reveals other factors that made her choose fashion designing as a survival tool, “ I got engaged out of boredom after concluding my junior school certificate examination and the economic state of the nation triggered my action”.
“The unemployment rate in the country, job security and getting a job in Nigeria has become worrisome”, she said.
Also a certified Chef, Funmilayo shares her challenges becoming a sought after stylist, “ Basically family members and friends wanting me to do free jobs and I will always work every time with no profit after all the efforts, I still experience that sometimes but I stand my grounds never to mix business with pleasure anymore.
“It is a well known fact that Nigerians are group of hardworking and highly motivated people and we owe that to our background and nurturing we had from our homes. This notion is a big part of who I am, the values and morals instilled in me by my parents is the backbone of everything I do”.
She pays tribute to fellow women who inspired her along the journey, “Firstly, my mother, Folorunsho Alakija and Oprah Winfrey, they are goal getters and true definition of strong women”.
Funmilayo sees herself already in the future as an international award winning designer, empowering and training thousands of people.