Many people know you as a top fashion designer. How do you describe yourself?
I’ll describe myself as a bespoke professional tailor who specialises in structured garments. I must confess, my clothes fit excellently because I am a well trained designer.
How long have you been in the fashion and style business and how did you get into it?
I have always had a flair for it; I have been a creative person from childhood. I have been into cutting, sewing and designing. I had it in me and I pursued it. As a child, I used to cut anything. I was sewing for young and even for adults. It’s a talent I grew up with and decided to pursue.
At what point did you decide to take it up as a career?
I would say it was after I left the university. I wanted to sew earlier than that, but then if I had told my parents that I wanted to be a tailor, it would have been like I was going up against them. Nobody wanted me to do that at that point. So, I went to the University of Benin to study agronomy, though I had always wanted to sew. After UNIBEN, I went to London School of Fashion to brush up on what I had already started here.
All along, I had been sewing stuff right at the university. For me, University of Benin was exciting, but sewing was great. I studied Agronomy which was based in the Agricultural Sciences Department. I loved the sciences. Biology was the major drive that led me to study agronomy. It was fun. But right there on campus, I was making clothes for my friends. I sold some ready-to-wear tops for ladies, and I remember doing a couple of dresses too. I was exploring and I enjoyed that much then.
I got out of school and got married. So, by the time I had made up my mind to face the fashion world with my talent, I didn’t have my parents to contend with my decision because I was already married. I actually went back to school after I had my first son. My husband readily agreed and encouraged me.
London School of Fashion was exciting. I did intermittent courses because of my marriage. I shuttled from time to time. In London, I met students but I understudied Yemi Koshibah. He was a great influence on my life and business. I was an intern with him. He is indeed a fantastic guy.
What aspect of fashion appeals to you when you work?
I am a very creative person, I enjoy creating clothes. I don’t limit myself to a box. For instance, I can do a kaftan in a Valerie Davids’ way. I could do a structured, very high end avant garde garment. I just love to create. I could take a piece of article and make an excellent garment out of it. I am not limited to anything; I think I’m blessed and gifted. Beyond having honed my skill, I am naturally a creative person. I pick something and make a new thing out of it.
How long does it take you to make a new dress?
It depends. A wedding dress, for instance, like the recent one that was featured in Ovation magazine, took me about two weeks. Ideally, we have a check time of three weeks, but the bride needed it at that short notice. Also on a wedding dress, we usually expect a three-month notice. That apart, I can turn out ten items in two days. I work on cut-and-sew and all that. I do my patterns and I cut. I also have my fantastic machinists who work with me. I cut all my outfits.
What colours appeal to you?
Formerly, I used to have favourite colours. But presently, I do not think I have favourite colours any more. However, I love red, purple, olive green. You see, the truth right now is that I love every colourdiamond, bluethough I am not a very bright colour person. But I work with such colours anyway.
What about fabrics?
Like I said, I have this thing about fabrics. To me, every fabric has its own language, be it organza, silk or lace, they all speak their own languages. Once I see it, I immediately understand its language and flow with it. I am not one of those designers who are boxed. I work out of the box. I just flow with the fabric. I go right into the fabric and understand what to do with it. I am always ready to play with any fabric that comes into my hand. I don’t particularly like fabrics that limit my creativity. Even when I handle fabrics that I am not very good with, I still work on them and ensure that I arrive well with them at the end of the day.
Designers make clothes for people. So, what appeals to you to wear as a designer?
I am extremely simple. My style is very simple. I do not have much personal avant garde things to wear. For me, I love to wear jeans, jackets, T-shirt and basic short dress.
You create clothes for people to attend social functions. What does your own socials look like?
I guess it is lying down in bed and watching films (laughs). Oh, my work is so hectic, I don’t like going to parties that I can avoid. I love to be in bed watching films because that is perhaps the only time I do not work. Once I am up from the bed, I am working. So, I only attend socials that are compulsory for me, though I love to meet people. Even then, I rarely find the time to have that cherished moment of lying down in bed.
How do you cope as a working mother and home maker?
Oh, I have a supportive husband. I have children who are very understanding and supportive. My children are well behaved and fantastic. I must say that I am blessed. Also with years of experience, I must say that I have been able to juggle everything together and sort things out. I try to get my priorities right at all times, though of course, I get it wrong sometimes. That is because sometimes we are working day in and day out weeks on end, working and staying right there in the office.
When those times come as they usually do, my husband is usually a very good back-up for me. Otherwise, it would have been something else. So, when I find the time, I try very much to make up for those lost time and be with my family and we enjoy one another.
How did you come about Valerie Davids?
My son’s name is David and my daughter’s name is Valerie. We pieced them together and got Valerie Davids. The funniest part is that we had named our children before we gave birth to them (laughs). Valerie Davids actually fully started after the birth of my second child. But I was sewing before we got married. Long before their birth, we had spoken to God on the number of children that we wanted to have, and had even gone ahead and chose names for them before they arrived. Amazingly, our children came that way.
What memories do you have of your childhood?
Growing up was very interesting for me. I come from a very large family. My father was a loving gentleman, while my mother was strict. Between them, they molded us. We had our momentsthe good, the bad, the ups and the downs. I have lovely siblings and I am in the middle somewhere. As a child, I recall doing interesting things like cutting papers, drawing things, sketching clothes and sewing. It was interesting.
Let’s talk about women and fashion. As a designer, what will you say appeals to women?
The average woman wants to look stunning, no matter her social class or status. Women all want to go out and look comfortable. I realized, however that despite all that, women have different tastes and styles. What appeals to one may not appeal to the other. So, I try to meet them somewhere. My work, however, is personal. So, I try to know the individual. I try to know who they really are and then interpret their style and apply it.
I don’t use client A’s style for client B. We have clients that will come and say ‘Oh, I can never wear this.’ Meanwhile, another client comes in and says, ‘Oh, this is what I want to wear.’ I try to understand the individual and at the end of the day, I play up your pluses and play down your minuses. I make you look good, no matter your taste or fashion or style. Mine is to interpret a woman and make her look better than she would ordinarily look. We give a woman the Valerie Davids’ look.
When a new female client knocks on your door, do you get scared or worried about having to meet a new taste of fashion?
No, I never get scared. I ask a lot of questions which would enable me to interpret the person’s style and taste. I have to know who you are. If you play a little safe by not telling me about your style, there would be questions that I will ask to bring you out of your comfort zone and still make you comfortable.
Everyone who comes in for me is a new opportunity and a new adventure. Once I’m able to understand and interpret your style, I’m fine. It doesn’t matter who you are.
Do you stick to women’s clothes?
Yes, for now. But then, we’ve started doing men’s clothes gradually. We are hoping that in a couple of months, we will be able to do that more freely. As for children’s clothes, I am not into it for now. I do sew for my children once in a blue moon and also once in a while for the children of my top clients. But it is not what I regularly do.
What is your outlook on total wardrobe change?
It boils down to what you want and what you want the change to do for you. We, for instance, take into consideration the category of clothes that would get you that new look that you want. Is it casual, formal and so on? So, all these will determine the overhaul that we will put in place to change you with a new wardrobe.
How expensive are Valerie Davids clothes?
We actually have different categories. We have the basic, silver, premium and the premium plus. Once you are in, we fix you into a particular group.
These categories must be based on the divide between the rich and the poor?
(Laughs) Oh no, it is just a guide for us. No, it is not about how rich or poor you are. We actually have something coming up soon. We call it the Valerie Davids budget clothes. It is something that will be affordable. It will come as dresses,tops, trousers and so on.
Will it cut across everybody?
No, I can’t sew clothes that will go for everybody. People come to me to sew for them special clothes. There are people who bring me boxes of clothes. Maybe not everybody can afford what we do, but at the same time, our clothes are top notch. So, we deserve to work in that range and with clients who appreciate that range. I do not compromise on a Valerie Davids clothe, no matter what!
In recent times, you have not been participating in fashion shows. Any special reason for that?
I am not a fan of shows. I used to do ‘show’ when I started out, but not these days. I don’t think that they influence much. I was working a lot with a popular human interest magazine at a time. I did some fashion shows for many events too. But what I later noticed was that it took so much of my time and I didn’t understand whether it did that much for me. However, I will have a private show soon.
But I don’t think I am a show person right now, and that is because my hands are very full. I have been able to build my business more by referrals than any other way. People ask me why I do not participate in the Nigerian Fashion Show too. The truth is that my work is so tasking. I do not think I have that energy now.
Your business is located in Lagos Mainland area. Does that have much advantage, seeing that more of your clients are based on the Island?
I get my clients mostly by referrals. I am enjoying my location on the Lagos Mainland because most of my workers are on this side.
Now that you have a successful business, do you still nurse any dream?
Yes, I do. I want to soon see my business working without me. I am trying to train people to understand the art of pattern designing. We have a school that we are running here. It is called The Valerie Davids Fashion School. I’m hoping that in the next couple of years, I would have trained cutters, designers who would be back-ups for me.
Right now, I am doing between 70 and 80 per cent of the whole work. I am hoping to start my ready-to-wear line, which will be very different. I want people to wear my clothes around Nigeria. I want to have people walk into shops like it is done abroad, and get my clothes. However, I will still maintain my personal touch when I get the back-up because my clients recognise my personal touch, and to keep them, I have to be on ground. So, I will instruct but be involved.
Also, I need time for myself. I need time to travel. But I have to know that I have good hands to take instructions. Even then, I will still be involved because my style evolves regularly. I don’t keep a comfortable style; I change regularly. That is why you see fabrics everywhere around me. The next minute, I am creating a new thing. I have people who give me up to 40 fabrics and they want different things.
You are not just a designer and bespoke tailor, you are also into music. How did you come about that?
I am a music minister. I used to sing more before I got married. But now I sing in the choir in my church at High life Bible Church at Oniru Estate, Victoria Island. I am learning to play the saxophone and I love it. I guess creativity is in me and my daughter is like that already. She is nine and already draws very well. She came second in an art competition recently, while my son is more of an IT person. He is good with computers and already writing programmes at 14.
As a designer, what does beauty mean to you?
To me, beauty is beyond make up and clothes. When you are beautiful inside, it reflects on the outside. Beauty is being the best God has made you to be. It is about exuding so much that has been deposited inside of you by God. All things bright and beautiful is truly what beauty is about. Clothes should play up your beauty instead of playing your beauty down. I don’t throw fabrics on my clients; I structure clothes on them. My clothes are meant to give my clients a fashion experience. My clothes just have to do something to your beauty. I have seen people come in and wear my clothes and they cry. They cry because of the new look they get, which they didn’t know that they could have. My clothes bring out the best in you.
For every talented person, there is a source of inspiration. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I am a spiritual person. I am born again with the help of the Holy Ghost. The things I do are divine. I believe that God is very creative. I use the scripture that tells me that I have the mind of Christ, and that helps me a great deal to create. I am in tune with the Holy Spirit and that helps my creativity, because left to me alone, I will be burnt out. I found out that my strength is renewed every morning because I have connection with God. It is not about my talent or skill. Those are very good stuff for me though, but the heart of the matter is that daily, I draw strength from God, and that is why I can take every piece and make a master piece out of it.
Source: The na
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