The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Lape Saleh

Lape Saleh is a motivated, creative individual who quite simply loves design and all that it entails. Her work experience spans various multi disciplinary firms. She believes design concepts, processes, planning and execution are a part of one's natural state and from an early age manifested through ideas and sketches, a knack for creative enterprises. She was born and raised in A.B.U Zaria, Kaduna and is married with four kids. 

I Want To Develop a Unique, Innovative, and Indigenous Design Culture in Nigeria

I am a practicing Architect and interior designer who set up my firm, 3DV Studio about five years ago. I have a passion for art and design, therefore, my company also produces bespoke interior accessories. We have further expanded our design studio to provide vocational training in design technology for artisans and youth. I plan to be a leader and community builder for Architecture. I aim to be someone that helps develop a unique, innovative, and indigenous design culture here in Nigeria. It’s also my dream to establish a certified vocational training center for design and construction.

We Do Not Have a Research Culture Here In Nigeria

The Nigerian government needs to understand that the problems we face today concerning standards and innovation in the building industry come first, from our educational curriculum. We do not have a research culture here in Nigeria and we have not developed any of our local technologies to suit our modern day needs. We continue to adopt and import what we use and apply in design and construction from other continents. There must be a multiplicity of certified educational options for Nigerian youth. Our vocational education system may as well be non-existent. Not everyone can go to University, but that does not mean everyone shouldn't have access to other forms of tertiary education. The government should search amongst young architects and designers for talent and ideas for our future landmarks.  They should also implement favorable policies that could be passed into law for maximum impact.

Do Not Sacrifice a Balanced Life for Ambition

I have experienced quite a few things in my architectural career and one thing I would like every Nigerian woman to know is that your timeline may not be the same as someone else's or even the typical career timeline of a man, and that is okay. Be yourself and do not sacrifice a balanced life for ambition. But!, persevere every day and wake up promising to be better and to achieve more AND, most importantly, don't give up!

The Vintage Colette Collection Is Very Stylish, Yet Modest

I have always admired Binta’s achievements in the fashion industry and was honored when she called me to be part of such a wonderful shoot. The concept of using real business women for a fashion ad campaign was a great idea. The Vintage Colette collection is very stylish, yet modest. The finishing on the clothing is world class and there are some details in there that could easily be missed by the layman. But it all comes together in the fit. The styles are feminine and flattering.

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Chinwendu Moghalu

Chinwendu Moghalu is a passionate lawyer who has just started a small prison initiative where she offers pro bono services to people who cannot afford legal representation and are being detained without trial in police stations within the FCT.

I Studied Law to Defend the Interests of People
I am a practicing lawyer. Law is second nature to me. I have always been that person who wants to stand up for others. I don’t have a problem standing up to unfairness. It is funny, but at some point in my life, I could easily have been perceived as a bully however, I didn’t pick underdogs *laughs*. I studied law to defend the interests of people. Right now I am a general practice lawyer, but I plan to specialize in criminal litigation and eventually become a judge at the International Criminal Court, at the Hague Netherland. I want to become the best criminal litigator that ever lived and I want the world to remember my name. I am currently working at a litigation firm in Abuja and it’s great because I am where I want to be in order for me to get to where I am going to.

Right now I just started this little prison initiative. It is still a baby project. It aims to help indigent prisoners in whatever way I can. My initiative is currently under the ZIM-UZO foundation. I am also a member of the African Women Lawyers Association, AWLAN as well as the Nigerian Bar Association.

Criminal Litigation in Nigeria Is Not Where It Should Be
I see myself going to the Harvard Law School. *laughs* that’s just a little obsession that I have. I’ve always dreamt of attending the Harvard Law School and I intend to see it through. From a long-term perspective, I want to be a judge at the International Criminal Court, at The Hague, Netherlands. I still have a long way to go, but in the next 5 years, I should be on the right path. Criminal litigation in Nigeria is not where it should be. The basic investigation processes when it comes to crimes are lacking and I would like to see it change. As much as I want to see the government put the necessary structures in place, I have decided that as a plan to give back, when I can I will establish a forensic laboratory where proper investigation can be done with the help of science. I intend to study International Criminal Law and Forensic Science for my Masters and as soon as I am done with my research as to the best way forward, I will apply to the relevant institutions.

You Can Easily Pick Up Vintage Colette Clothing in a High Fashion Store.

I liked the fact that this photo shoot portrays women in their different professions. Binta could have called on real models, but she chose the average every day woman. That in itself is something special. We also get to keep the clothes. That was a major incentive *laughs*

The Vintage Colette collection is amazing and I could literally live in Binta’s dressing room. The clothes are very chic, well tailored and they sit properly on you. They are clothes that you can easily pick up at a high fashion store.

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What It's Like to be Raised By a Widow

“The ball in now in your court.” Those were the last words my father told me in his final days. Even though I had no idea how deep those words were at the age of 17, I knew they must have carried enough weight. One day, I came back from registration in my first year at the university. It was 8pm exactly, and from the beginning of the street there were rows and rows of cars; Much more than my blank gaze could quantify at the moment.

I knew my father was not discharged from the hospital. I just knew that he was no more. I knew he had gone. I knew I would never hear his voice. I knew I would miss him. I knew I had to take care of my siblings. But I never knew that the journey ahead would be a spin for the rest of my life.

My mother once told me that when you lose a father, you have lost your first line of defense and protection. When you lose a mother, you lose the unending support that holds you consistently from behind and prevents you from falling down or backwards. When you loose a husband, you lose the shelter or cloud that constantly provides you with a shade to rest underneath. And finally, when you lose a child, you lose a part of your soul that can never be recovered. For me, at that very moment, within the pain and grief I felt, I felt the need to stay alive for her sake; to protect her soul.

I grew up in polygamy, and it has its moments, good, bad and the very worst. Of all the lessons I learnt while growing up within that circle, the best was that it prepared me for the life and future I projected for myself later. I grew up in a highly privileged upbringing and felt very secure. Hard work was always emphasized by both of my parents and I grew up thinking that the world was one big happy place. Because my mother had to relocate to Abuja and work while I was 11 years old, I had to mentally grow up faster than most of my peers so that I could help raise my siblings. Well, boarding school contributed to a lot of that mental growth too. *Laughs* I also came to admire my mother’s strength, poise and dedication to her family and work. I understood what it meant for a man to support his wife and I knew I was not going to settle for any less in the future.

Rewind back to a few days and months after my father died, inheritance was sorted and I silently observed his friends, family members and relatives all struggling to get a piece of their rightfully earned squalor. The man that fell, long forgotten. Life had quickly moved on for a lot of them. My mother’s poise amidst everything said it all. She was calm. My father’s friends made so many promises to take care of us as he had taken care of them even while they were alive, but am sure they had a good laugh afterwards about their theatrics, they all sounded like political campaign managers.

We moved to Abuja with my mother and the real struggle began. She has to source money to pay fees, medical expenses, housing, maintenance et al for 5 children all on her own, with no helper. At work, she was consistently moved from one ministry to another because she refused to compromise her integrity to approve finances without following due process. And while we encouraged her to do so, when she informed us of another transfer, she would say, ‘Integrity above all.’ That became our mantra till date. Still, it was a very difficult period. She had supportive friends who constantly helped and supported her. For ‘the political campaign managers’ had disappeared overnight and moved to other parties when they projected there was no financial gain but only incurred expenses. I remember my younger sister asking my mum to buy ‘Agbalumo’ fruit for her during grocery shopping one day at the market and my mother obliged. She got three juicy ones and placed them in her palms. But my sister, only 7 at the time, stood still and kept on staring at the fruit in her palms. My mother asked her what was wrong and her response brought tears to my mother’s eyes. “If it was daddy, he would have bought the whole basket for me.” Could my mother afford the whole basket then? Absolutely yes, but she had to prioritize her budget for the whole family as well. Her response was soothing and realistic to my sister. “Daddy is no more and we all have to adjust to what we can afford.”
As the years went by I watched as she turned down several marriage proposals and dealt with societal pressure for a widow to quickly get married so that she may earn back societal respect. This helped me build my confidence on marriage and not allow society to muscle or dictate the status quo to me.

Going through an allowance at school was tough and I couldn’t ask for a raise even when I developed an ulcer. I am an excellent business negotiator now as an adult, but still don’t know how to ask for a personal raise from even my husband*Laughs.* She did eventually graduate all 5 children with a Masters degree all by herself, and still went through another grieving period of losing a son. She had also previously lost one while my father was alive; making two.

Now that I have evolved into a wife, a.k.a domestic engineer, a mother and a career woman, being raised by a widow has taught me so much I cannot possibly quantify. But some of the lessons are:

- Integrity above all is my daily mantra
- Life experiences are normal growth processes
- Mistakes and failures happen all the time and are only termed as such when you don’t learn from them
- Grief is no excuse for stupidity however much you may feel the need to indulge in it.
- There are no shortcuts or elevators to success; everyone must take the stairs.
- Growth in life must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again
- Never get into something to test the waters; you go into things to make waves
- People will always stare and point fingers at you, but it is your job to make it worth their while
- Your determination when you have nothing should define you; and so should your attitude when you have everything
- Don’t hold a grudge with someone, they are enjoying the rent free in your head
- Money can never buy common sense; morals; trust; character; love or class
- Let your work speak for you in a crowd such that you don’t need an introduction
- You can have everything in life you want or ever wished for; just not at the same time
- Karma is nasty
- Invest in your home and family
- Separate your wants from your needs
- Change or save someone’s life towards survival
- And finally, all what we do in this life is a distraction and temporary; the afterlife would echo through eternity so build your way of life towards that direction.


Today I watch her with admiration and respect as the longest serving Permanent Secretary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Civil Service, her constant dedication to her family, work and country, and therefore I know that i have no excuse to stay in bed, take a day off or not make my own path in life.

A job well done to all the widows on this International Widows day for their strength and resilience.

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Eno Okafor

Eno Okafor is the founder and Creative Director of the fashion brand Diana A La Vid, also known as DLV. She studied Mathematics and Computer science at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. After graduation, she decided to follow her passion for entrepreneurship and fashion.

My Mom Taught Me How To Sew 
At DLV, we dress women elegantly for everyday living. Our clothes are simple classic pieces with a touch of graphic detailing, helping women look dressed up without trying too hard. As such, we have two main brands tailored for that purpose. We have our maxi dresses, which also are our best sellers. And we also have DLV Chic, for the young and contemporary who like to wear a bit more daring outfits. 

I picked up sewing from my mother after secondary school, during the ASUU strike, while i was waiting for admission into the Federal University of Technology, Minna. During that period I gave my mum attention and watched as she taught me the basics I needed to know about sewing. During that process, I thought to myself that I might as well sketch what I want to make and that's literally how I got into fashion design. While in university, I continued to design and began my foray into pattern making.


We Want To Create a Lifestyle Shopping Experience
Diana a La Vid started in 2012 and I am really glad I am doing my own thing. At DLV we source all our fabrics locally, every two weeks to be precise. We cater for women of sizes 6-18 range but if we use a certain fabric for a specific style, we only make one of that style in each size. So if you see something in our store and you don’t get it, and it goes, you wouldn’t get another one of that same style and same fabric. Sorry *Laughs*

In the next five years, we would love to own our own DLV building in a centralized location in town. This business was actually a beneficiary of the previous administration’s YOUWin Grant. It enabled us to get as far as we have been able to get. But in a few years, we would love to own our very own space and be the leading retailer of high street fashion. We want to create a lifestyle shopping experience for consumers, both female and male alike.

Business Owners Struggle to Pay for Things like Their Own Electricity 
The electricity situation is something that I would ask the Nigerian government to address if I could speak with them. I would also ask that they give us more tax incentives and reduce simple things like VAT. As business owners we are already struggling to pay for our own electricity, which is extremely expensive. If the VAT or other tax bills were at least reduced, this is money that we could be reinvesting back into our businesses. We could pay higher salaries and do more in the country.

The Vintage Colette Brand Is Very Creative
As a designer, I can tell you that I think the Vintage Colette brand is very creative. The texture of the fabrics are very appealing and the brand just has a range of concepts that work for different people and different lifestyles. 

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Photo Shoot Done! Now What, Binta?

I woke up the next day and handled a lot of domestic chores and cleaning that I wasn’t able to do much of before the shoot. I then went on to attend the store opening of @Nowrie_ng run by Fantis Mohammed and enjoyed meeting new faces, had great conversations, ate good food and most importantly shopped from her great pieces on display. I went home and did some homework for my son, played with my daughter and we all hit the sheets early.

I thought I had taken care of myself, but by the following day, my blood pressure had gone up to a level I don’t even need to mention here. Thankfully we didn’t work on Mondays. So after taking almost the entire day to stay in bed and rest, I went to the office for an hour to clear my table before going into full work mode the next day.

By the following morning, my blood pressure had gone down....But I was still sleepy……*Laughs* So I went to work, sorted out all legal documents from the shoot, looked at the bills ahead that went over budget, designed some apparel for production and slept off on the couch for 3 hours *Laughs* I was that drained.

The next day, we continued to function well and after about a week, images from the shoot as well as the glam shots started coming in and I knew we were onto something really big.

My team and I then made some readjustments to our annual editorial calendar and waited for the right time to start. This was the same time we were also preparing for the Fusion LifeStyle event which was just some few days away. All the participants from the shoot called in or sent messages asking for a glimpse of their shots and I happily refused to oblige them…..as they called it, CIA suspense mode….*Laughs*…. I didn’t want to ruin their surprise and it was well worth the wait the moment the first post went out.

I WAS GLAD I WENT THROUGH WITH MY VISION FOR THE IDEAL VINTAGE COLETTE WOMEN.

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series Photoshoot

The Vintage Colette photo shoot was inspired as a form of tribute to celebrate female entrepreneurs as every day women. We wanted to bridge the gap and allow our customers to relate well with our brand. We decided to start with entrepreneurial women from a vast range of businesses who understood what it meant to run a business within Nigeria. It took four months to prepare for this photo shoot from day one to the day of the photo shoot. Even though I had initially been advised against the idea as this was contrary to what any Nigerian designer had ventured into, I chose to go ahead because I was a woman, a designer and an entrepreneur. I knew that I could be as contrary as I wanted to be because otherwise, I would be in a constant state of collapse whenever I innovated anything.

I wanted to celebrate these women who are realistic, strong, focused and determined to excel. They motivate me and consistently keep myself and other women true to their core. Each fabric, style and color was designed for the persona and style of the female entrepreneur wearing Vintage Colette. The looks are different, but the souls are the same, as are the things and people that constantly inspire me in life. That is the true persona of the Vintage Colette woman. 

This photo shoot is a celebration of personal style that ignores the demand from the outside, a carefully followed and well researched journey, one that I hope would serve me for many more years ahead. 

- Binta Shuaibu

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Binta Shuaibu

Binta Shuaibu is a fashion designer and entrepreneur. She is the founder and head designer of Vintage Colette, a fashion manufacturing brand that focuses on innovative and revolutionized Afrocentric fashion trends for the everyday woman. With her leadership and managerial skills she has moved her company forward and exhibited at the London Fashion Week, won the maiden edition of MTN/LFDW/British Council designer award of the year 2011, Best Designer of the year for ‘I am Priceless’ campaign for the Blue Heart Foundation UNODC 2012, a recipient of the Vlisco Fashion Dream Fund Award and also a Vital Voices Fellow.


Why I Used Female Entrepreneurs for this Particular Vintage Colette Photoshoot
I was motivated to use female entrepreneurs for the photo shoot because the Vintage Colette brand is all about the everyday woman, and female entrepreneurs represent everyday women. I wanted my customers to relate well with my products and know that they too can wear them and look fabulous. The female entrepreneur all over the world hardly gets or finds the time to shop and enjoy their timeless effort towards growing their companies and brands even those in the fashion industry. This was the opportunity I saw to uplift and boost their self-esteem and confidence which is my brand’s driving force.

We Aim to Create Apparel for the Retro, Fashion Focused Woman
The driving force of the Vintage Colette brand is to boost the self-esteem and confidence of a woman so that she feels like she’s wearing an international brand. We aim to create apparel for the retro fashion focused woman that are fresh, exciting, functional and fashionable. Once that is achieved by what we do, we can assure you that we have transformed your wardrobe from drag to fab with essential pieces that are absolutely worth the investment. We want to teach women how to build a wardrobe since they don’t usually go out with a motive or reason to shop…shopping is the trending ‘Sport’ for women of this generation.

Being a Designer is Different From Being a Designer Business Woman
I see myself establishing a successful Nigerian brand and as well as within the East African market. Over the course of the next one year- we will come up with a very good strategic plan to make all this feasible- being a fashion designer is completely different from being a fashion entrepreneur since the latter transforms the art of fashion into a successful money making venture.

We are trying to create a lot of business awareness and we are really doing a lot to make the customers feel like they are buying an international brand- we try our best to give our customers a value for their money. We have set up the right team and they are interested in the growth of the company. Working with our brand is not any old regular job to my team and I am proud that they are passionate about what they do and can push through, even in hard times.

Nigeria Needs a Female Economy
I want the Nigerian woman to know that it is their job to provide the society in which they operate with results from their businesses. Let your performance speak without you uttering a word in any crowd you may ever find yourself. Take different routes towards the direction of your original path or goal for life and business can be unpredictable, but they should never deter away from the end goal you want to achieve.

The Nigerian government should create policies that would create a female economy since women always invest back into their homes and try to empower generations ahead through their children. They should also create a lot of incentives in tax and grants for women owned businesses.

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Laylah Ali

Laylah Ali is an interior designer who is on a mission to bring all her projects to life. 

Everything I Produce is Made in Nigeria
I have been an interior furniture designer for over 10 years. I started making furniture in Nigeria and everything I produce is Made in Nigeria. I actually studied English in school, but I chose interior design because that was what I was attracted to. Like others, I have also tried other businesses including selling clothes, owning a salon, etc., but interior design was my passion. And because I wanted to really do well in interior design, I took some design courses in Dubai and I am currently working on my Masters in Design. I want to be a professional designer who brings projects to life.

It’s Difficult for Women in Nigeria to do business
It’s difficult for women in Nigeria to do business. Women are very vulnerable because we are more exposed to those who want us to exchange our bodies for business opportunities. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “….meet me at this hotel if you want to get that contract.” It’s really disheartening sometimes, but women should know that seriousness pays off. Women should never give up. We are stronger than what we think we are and stronger than what a lot of people think we are.

If We Had Light, Products Would be Cheaper
At L and N Interiors, we face electricity challenges 24/7 when trying to produce our furniture. If I could talk to the Nigerian government, I would tell them to give us light *laughs.* If we had light, products would be cheaper and costs would go down. Also, we often have to import certain wood items and upholstery that aren’t available in Nigeria, and that can be extremely costly.

The Vintage Colette Brand
This photo shoot was very exciting for me to be a part of. I liked the fact that it was about empowering women and motivating others. We need that sometimes as women. I have to be honest and say that I didn’t know how nice Vintage Colette clothing was until recently. I love the clothes! They are extremely comfortable, decent for me and stylish for everyone.

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Fantis Muhammad

Fantis Muhammad is a Garment Manufacturer and a Food & Beverage Entrepreneur.

We Work Predominantly With Female Suppliers
Santifood Co is a two year old food/beverage processing company. We recently opened our first food outlet in Wuse 2. It houses yogurts, healthy drinks and other convenient packed food. What’s great about Santifood Co is that we take what we have locally here in Nigeria and package it to fit international standards. We get a significant amount of our of our ingredients and materials from local businesses and work with all female suppliers, unless they don’t have what we need.

I also have a Garment manufacturing business. We produce high quality made on Nigeria clothing for local brands. We also have an in-house brand called NOWRIE. The idea is to provide fashion entrepreneurs the option of having production outsourced and not having to set up a unit of their own. This gives them the opportunity to have their brands without investing in equipment and staff.

If We Had Power, that would mean about 20% more money in the hands of businessesNigerian business spend a considerable amount of time and energy dealing with the lack of basic infrastructure. For example if we didn't have to worry about buying generators, exorbitant interest rates and multiple taxation, that would mean that much more to use for expansion, marketing or even to hire more qualified personnel for their businesses.If we had power, that would mean about 20% more money in the hands of businesses. That’s a lot! Can you imagine the entrepreneur landscape without all these issues?

Before government formulates policies, they should find out the real issues on ground. I also believe they should get the input of entrepreneurs before they pass certain legislation. Entrepreneurs understand the issues in their respective industries and can give better insight into providing solutions. The Nigerian government should give us basic infrastructure like power.

Whatever You Want to do in Life or Business, Just Start
To any woman trying to go into business, do your research. It is extremely important that you get your facts right; get training if you need to, and then, just do it. As cliché as it may sound, just do it. Whatever you want to do in life or business, the most important step is to start. But just remember that it has to be something you can commit long term to, because it won’t be easy and without perseverance, all business die early deaths.

The Vintage Colette Brand
I decided to do this photo shoot because I loved what Binta was trying to achieve for all female entrepreneurs. Women don’t get enough opportunities to showcase their businesses, most especially women-based businesses in the north. So this was a great opportunity for me. I love the Vintage Colette collection because they are easy to wear, light, and great for this weather –very considerate of this weather *laughs*

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The Vintage Colette Woman Series: Sifa Asani Gowon

Sifa Asani Gowon is a novelist and screen Writer. She is also a baker and business owner who loves to create 'hybrid' pastry recipes. She says baking is cathartic for her and that she is inspired by music, love, beauty and family.

Northern Nigeria is a Great Place to Raise a Family
I started baking about six years ago as a hobby, but today, I currently bake for business- wedding cakes, birthday cakes etc. I had a small shop I ran for a bit before I closed it down. I love to read, so it was only right that the shop I ran reflected that. I also write and have published two books so far in the last few years. I like Jos: the weather, the ambiance and overall stillness. Despite recent turmoil in the North, I still believe that Northern Nigeria is a great place to raise a family.

Recent Price Hikes Hit Me Really Hard
My expenses sky rocketed immediately after I opened my shop in Jos and I’m also dealing with the current price hikes. The recent price hikes hit me really hard because I had to make several adjustments to the way I ran my business. Jos is not the best place to do leisure business because if you offer a non-priority product, your business will suffer. Many of us had have to restructure the way our businesses are set up because of what it currently going on in the country. I am currently at a restructuring phase myself, and as a business owner, you have to mentally prepare yourself for adjustments.

Before You Start a Business, Plan Well
I believe I could have done better planning before I started my business. I should have definitely planned my accounts and finances better and believe that if I had, I would not have had as many vulnerable points during my last couple of years in business. If I were to give advice to women who wanted to go into business, or even anyone, I would say plan better. It is always a good idea to hire a financial analyst to check and run your numbers before you start your business. You would do much better because of it.

I believe the Nigerian government could do a better job of providing relief to small business. They should go easy on businesses with the taxes. There should also be tax breaks for small and new business owners for at least the first two to five years and they should not duplicate taxes in each state.

The Vintage Colette Brand
This photo shoot was an opportunity for me to glam up and I loved the idea of a dress made to fit me perfectly. My body is not what it used to be after two kids. I have a much thicker waist, thicker arms, thicker everything! *laughs* I love the fact that with Vintage Colette you can still wear a beautiful dress that flatters you as you are. These clothes were made for the everyday woman.

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