Afripreneur
Hazel Eki Osunde, the German-Nigerian Luxury Silk Print Fashion Designer Behind EKI
Hazel Eki Osunde is the Creative Director and Founder of EKI. She was born in a rural town in Germany, raised in Nigeria and now residing in London. Hazel injects a bit of nature, culture and travel into her designs with Africa on her mind. After working in Asset Management for 8 years, it was her fascination with culture and colour that inspired her to pursue her own career in fashion. In this exclusive interview with Alaba Ayinuola, discover more about Hazel, EKI and her view on the fashion world. Excerpt.
Alaba: Tell me about yourself and journey as a fashion designer?
Hazel: I am of mixed heritage German-Nigerian. Born in Germany, spent my childhood in Nigeria and now reside in the UK. I spent my first 10 years in banking until I fell pregnant and found a new meaning to life. It was at this time that I decided to follow my passion which was a love for colour, culture and travel which I then translated into prints. My first love is designing prints that narrate positive African stories.
Alaba: What attracted you to fashion and what do you attend to achieve?
Hazel: Fashion can be very impactful. It can light up a room and also create a platform for change. It is powerful and it can be used as a tool to educate consumers on the importance of matters. My goal is to allow the EKI story telling of the prints to naturally evolve into other areas, creating the same magical feeling.
Alaba: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a designer?
Hazel: I was working in banking when I recall a friend of mine talk so passionately about her career in media and it was at that moment, I realised I couldn’t put that much love and excitement into my profession. So, I ventured on a journey of discovery. It soon dawned on me that I had a love for textiles, designs and a nostalgia for Africa. And that’s how it started.
Alaba: How do you walk the line between being unique and having commercial appeal?
Hazel: Uniqueness comes from the interpretation of our prints. I don’t design prints for everyone, nor do I follow trends. I pick shades and colours that I am drawn to and know my customers like. The designs of our dresses are quite simplistic and classic allowing for that commercial appeal. I believe with the bold EKI prints are balanced out with the styles we choose.
Hazel with Models on her new collection at the Lagos Fashion Week 2021 Image: Lagos Fashion Week)
Alaba: How is your work received internationally and where do you look for creative inspiration?
Hazel: The pieces have a clear African influence, yet subtle and the fact that we print on silk gives it that international appeal. The garments are also quite flowy and can be worn casually or dressed up, as our international clients are often quite simplistic in their style. Inspiration is always drawn from Africa and I always tap into nature, culture or travel and narrate the story from an African point of view.
Alaba: What is your favourite part about being a designer?
Hazel: I love hearing clients’ stories on how they felt wearing the pieces; the confidence, the sexiness and the attraction they got from it.
Alaba: How do you want women to feel when wearing your designs?
Hazel: I want them to own their femininity and exude a palpable feeling of confidence and sexiness.
Alaba: The term Fashiontech is still quite new. What is your opinion of the state of the Fashiontech industry and its growth?
Hazel: Fashion tech will become the new norm. There will need to be discussions on how we preserve the authenticity and creativeness of fashion. There has been such an investment into slowing the fashion down and producing pieces of meaning by people we should care about yet fashion tech goes completely against this as it cuts out the middleman, replaces them with robots with the sole purpose of speeding up the fashion space. The smaller brands that focus on individuality and handcrafting will have to create stronger identities and brand stories to be able to compete with faster fashion spearheaded by fashion tech.
Alaba: There’s so much pressure for designers to come out with the greatest collection season after season. What advice would you give to young designers just starting out and hoping to make it in the industry?
Hazel: Keep it creative, small and don’t overstretch yourself financially until you have created your clientele base who not just likes and follows your pieces but also purchases.
Models on EKI new collection at the Lagos Fashion Week 2021 (Image: Lagos Fashion Week)
Alaba: Finally, what would you like to achieve before the end of the year?
Hazel: I just presented our latest SS22 collection in Lagos, Nigeria and my goal till the end of the year is that this collection is very well received and we pick up on how sales were pre-lockdown because fashion in the UK in particular really came to a standstill during our endless lockdowns.
Model on EKI new collection at the Lagos Fashion Week 2021 (Image: Lagos Fashion Week)
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Aiesha Bailey is the Founder of OCIR, an app developed and designed to help special needs children in schools. OCIR is a shared APP for special needs children 4 + some adults, their primary carers and educators. This APP has been designed to help users navigate their life learning and education in a safe way that fits around the skills they have, rather than forcing them to interact in ways that do not suit them.
Her reason for developing this app was because her child was non-verbal in a mainstream school and his only communication was grinding his teeth. So, as a mother, she got anxious and decided to have coffee mornings with other families to feel if this is an app worth having and that they would pay for. To her surprise they loved it and Aisha has a few of them featured on her podcasts.
Aiesha also does workshops to encourage parents with their well-being so that they do not feel isolated. The lasting testimony of this app is her son who has gone from non-verbal to a confident, contented and clever child and student who excels in lessons and enjoys socialising with all ages. Essentially, OCIR is a communication tool to improve the emotional well-being and psychological mental health of youngsters with special needs. Aiesha believes a purchase of this app is a donation that goes back towards the school.
Users
The app supports children with autism, Aspergers, anxiety, ADHD and speech delay. It has therapists for parents and carers as they have anxiety, maybe mental health issues and/or need someone to talk to who faces similar challenges.
Requirements
When special needs youngsters, children and young adults are affected by their condition, it is not always easy for them to communicate what they are feeling. Equally the time, occasion or person may not approach nor make it safe for them to express their feelings. These are the people OCIR was created to support.
Functions
Visualisation is an important aspect of how special needs people communicate. OCIR’s strength is that it is visual and allows users to interact and express emotions and how they feel in the moment through pictures, symbols, images and different emojis.
Equipment
The OCIR app can be used on various electronic devices, desktop computers, tablets, smart mobile phones or smartwatches.
Statistics
The information gathered is personalised for individuals. The data can be collected for reports, for monitoring, identifying trends and evidential purposes. All data is kept confidential and presented clearly in a pie chart to help support the child.
Working together
When users engage with the OCIR app to express themselves, it is linked to the same platform as parents, teachers, guardians and carers, which allows communication in real time. Any issues can be observed and addressed immediately. Anyone responsible for users’ welfare can view any triggers and respond accordingly.
Shared experience
The real time interaction is one of OCIR’s best features because it can minimise the worry when children are outside the home and takes the pressure away from users having to remember the incident at a later time. The OCIR app also provides and maintains a bonded experience between users, educators and the responsible adult as required.
Features
The OCIR app has many features and links to pre-recorded therapy sessions, weather forecasts, sleep and activities for children/users and parents.
To find out more, can you please contact me at info@ocir.co.uk
Female Techpreneur today announced the second edition of the Female Founders’ Lounge – Lagos, an evening of in-depth discussions and networking taking place on Thursday 30th May 2024 at the GAIA House, V.I Lagos. Nigeria. Designed specifically for female Tech founders, experts, and ecosystem partners, this event is a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or a rising star in the tech industry, you’ll find valuable insights and inspiration at this event.
Since its inception in 2018, Female Techpreneur has been building a community of women with the goal to funnel more women into the tech ecosystem by creating opportunities for mentorship and networking. The all female evening event on the entrepreneurial scene is set to be the cornerstone of inspiration, empowerment, and connection for over 100 women-led business owners. Hosted by Tech entrepreneur and founder of Female Techpreneur Bukky Babajide, this one-day event will focus on the theme: “Navigating the evolving ecosystem to thrive”.
The event will feature an engaging keynote address from Mope Abudu, Managing Partner at AfriGloCal VC with over two decades of experience at the intersection of law, governance, and corporate leadership. The panel session and fireside chat will feature leading female founders and investors like Olatowun Candide-Johnson, Lexi Novitske, Bisi Akintayo, Chizor Malize, Oz-Omazino Eguh, Kemi Oyesola who will share their own entrepreneurial journeys. You will be motivated by how their hard work and resilience have helped them to push through the barriers and challenges of running a successful business.
Commenting Bukky Babajide Founder of Female Techpreneur said: “I am delighted that the Female Founders’ Lounge – Lagos is back and that we will be hosting another incredible lineup of speakers and entrepreneurs in the room. Female Techpreneur want to encourage female tech entrepreneurs to launch and scale their businesses, to challenge themselves and connect with others and are looking forward to welcoming female founders, and innovators to the lounge this May.”
The full event agenda promises a diverse range of topics catered to the evolving needs of female entrepreneurs. From innovative strategies to sustainable growth practices, attendees can expect a comprehensive programme aimed at enhancing their business acumen and personal growth.
To find out more about the event and to book your tickets visit Female Founders’ Lounge – Lagos.
Afripreneur
Africa’s Business Heroes takes 40 Entrepreneurs to China, extends 2024 Application Deadline
Africa’s Business Heroes (Image: Supplied).
Between April 20-27, the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, hosted 40 participants consisting of top 10 Heroes, other finalists and partners from across Africa in Hangzhou, China. Participants engaged in an immersive experience at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou and have returned to their home countries enriched with valuable insights to further enhance their entrepreneurial endeavors on the continent.
During their visit, the ABH Heroes (spanning cohorts from 2019 to 2023) participated in a wide range of activities. These included deep dives that explored various facets of the digital economy from cloud computing, AI-driven logistics to e-commerce villages. They participated in a series of workshops and site visits all designed to elevate entrepreneurs to a higher level of success. The Heroes also exchanged knowledge and explored opportunities for collaboration with business leaders from Alibaba and with each other. These activities provided the participants with new knowledge and perspectives that they can potentially apply to overcome challenges, seize opportunities and scale their businesses.
Diarra BOUSSO, Founder & Creative Director of Diarrablu and ABH 2020 top 10 Hero, who was among the participants in the trip to China, expresses her gratitude for the experience, stating: “This trip was so inspiring in so many ways. First, meeting all these entrepreneurs who are the top entrepreneurs on the African continent and spending a week together was an incredible experience. And second: being immersed in the world of Alibaba and all the companies Jack Ma and his team built over time and understanding the vision behind it was like a dream come true.”
In another exciting development, ABH is extending its deadline for 2024 entries from May 19 to June 9 to accommodate more entrepreneurs eager to participate in the competition. Candidates selected for the top 50 will gain access to a host of resources, including training, mentorship and networking opportunities, as well as a supportive network of fellow African business leaders. US$1.5 million in grant funding will be distributed among the top 10 finalists; the first prize winner will receive an award of US$300,000.
This year, ABH has also hosted information sessions and community events across the continent to facilitate the application process and nurture a vibrant entrepreneurial community. These events have taken place in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, with upcoming sessions scheduled for Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Senegal. These events are conducted in partnership with local entrepreneur organizations and key ABH stakeholders including judges, Heroes and partners.
To date, ABH has received applications from entrepreneurs spanning all 54 African countries. Entrepreneurs from across the continent – regardless of sector, age or gender – are invited to participate. Applications can be submitted in English or French HERE.
Individuals are also encouraged to nominate eligible entrepreneurs who they believe are creating impactful and sustainable solutions to challenging issues HERE.
