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| Mrs Viktoria Duke fielding questions from the press at the Viktoria Duke 2017 Fashion Showcase |
Efio-Ita Nyok|23 December 2017
Mrs Viktoria Duke, the CEO of Viktoria Duke Fashion brand recently disclosed that there’s no reason the younger generation of Nigerians should be afraid of venturing into fashion business especially considering that it’s a promising industry NegroidHaven has learnt. Duke articulated this disposition while addressing pressmen in the maiden edition of her Viktoria Duke (2017) Fashion Showcase which held on Thursday, in Calabar, Cross River capital at Axari Hotel and Suites.
Duke further observed that the present generation of Nigerian youths are more enterprising and business-oriented than her generation. While explaining that her age were more disposed to seeking paid jobs by government and corporate entities, she said youths of today are skillful in managing their inherent talents.
According to her, ‘There’s absolutely no reason why they should be afraid of going into the business. I think it’s very promising. We do have a whole lot of Nigerian fashion designers. They are really, really renowned internationally and locally. So, there’s nothing to be afraid of, and I think the government right now is helping people in the fashion industry.
‘The young generation is very very promising generation. They are very enterprising. I believe that Nigerian youths of today know how to manage whatever God-given talents they have and should not be discouraged.
‘They are business like. They are not like my generation. We were looking for jobs from the government, from the big set-ups, but even my own children are going into private enterprises. So, they’ll do very well, and the economy will improve and probably help them out’, he added.
Duke also explained her restraints about going into fashion business hitherto. She said that her involvement with taking care of her family, etc was responsible.
Her words, ‘I started tailoring many years ago but never wanted to take it to the next level so quickly. So, after regrouping and taking care of my family, my children are sort of grown up, I decided that I would really be going into the business and trust to make it.
‘That is why this is our very first showing ever. So, I wanted people to just come in, basically enjoy the show and look at the sort of things we put up here. That’s it.
‘This is very first one, this is very private show. I actually wanted to call it ‘the private collection’, but, well, I didn’t get to calling it that, it’s really about my brand right now. But, then maybe in the future, we’ll be able to host a fashion week that will incorporate other designers both locally, nationally and maybe internationally’.
Her perspectives about fashion business is all-bracing. In her opinion, fashion is quite wide. You can go into all sort of things, not only about brand designing, shoes making, bags, all sort of other accessories. The market is really wide she argued. While responding to what distinct her brand from others, this is what Duke had to say : ‘I think it’s a matter of paying attention to the detail. If you look at our clothes, we’re very particular about the detailing, so, we do a whole lot embellishment —it’s not just the off-the-hand embellishment —it’s really particular and very detailed.
‘I would hope, I would move out of Calabar. I should be able to attending international fashion shows and being recognised as a brand all by myself’.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven
