Lagos Fashion Week is here again; intern and be a part of history....

Have you been thinking of interning at the upcoming Lagos Fashion week? Trust me you should.

I was fortunate to intern at the 2016 Heineken Lagos fashion and Design Week and i sure turned out better for it. The experience was second to none. Lagos Fashion Week is the biggest fashion platform in Nigeria and one of the biggest in Africa.

I had the opportunity to meet fellow interns with different design aesthetics- rubbing minds, learning together and enjoying the rush that comes with being backstage ( i was assigned back stage to assist various fashion designers) was amazing.

Lisa Folawiyo, Nigerian Designer

I will be sharing some major tips with you to help you prepare and maximize your internship at the Lagos Fashion Week or at any other amazing fashion week you intend to participate in. Before i do that , it's important to stay abreast of information regarding the Fashion week so that you can be right on time with your application (read my post on Fashion week departments).

So lets begin:

1. Ensure you have accommodation arrangements reasonably close to the venue as the scheduling of the program will mean you will work well late into the night.

2.Punctuality- like the saying goes, if you are 15 minutes early you are not time, if you are on time, you are late and if you are late then you didn't want to be there.

3. Dress code - All black is the dress code for interns. The reason for this is for easy identification. So as much as you are trying to look stylish, ensure you are comfortable in whatever blacks you wear. And remember your intern tag is the key to getting in and out of where you've been assigned to, so DON'T LOOSE IT!

4. NO MAKE UP! If you are fortunate to be posted backstage to work with designers, you can not have make up on. Your make up could smear the outfits the designers want to showcase and you do not want all hell to break loose, do you?

4. Have a power bank and ensure it is fully charged. Fashion Week are whole day affairs. There will be breaks in between but you'll be busy for the most part- arranging, sorting cloth racks and doing all sorts.

You may want to have your ears plugged for most of this time, need to stay in touch with the outside world at some point, get information or updates from the intern managers, and keep yourself company before the real deal begins in the evening, so have a your power source handy.

5. Have a water bottle to stay hydrated.

6. Be prepared, depending on the department you get posted, you may not be able to sit down to a home meal. Refreshments will be provided at least once a day for all interns but may not be timely. Energy bars should be your best friends.

7. Know your designers

8. Take pictures with designers; this is the one thing i had planned to do but guess what? my phone battery was flat before evenings when the designers arrived to showcase their collections. so take tip 4 seriously. If you are however interning backstage ensure you do not make the mistake of revealing any brand's new collection before they go on the runway.

9. Locate the rest room BEFORE the rowdy evening sessions begin. You do not want to start your search in the midst of the evening's beautiful chaos.

10. Comfort should be your aim in dressing up. Have a convenient hair do, so it doesn't get in the way, wear comfortable shoes, dress comfortably because you are not there to show off but to learn.

11. Be a problem solver; as creatives, its always easy t find a way to fix things so ensure you are found equipped with some basic 'know hows'- Learn how to use a steamer (click here).

To be more prepared, have a mini sewing kit with basic colors of sewing threads, needles, hemming gums, seam reapers, scissors and what ever else comes to mind.

I hope this tips have been helpful. If you need me to assist with any of the above or need clarifications kindly leave a message below and i will ensure you hear from me in the shortest time possible. Also do share your experiences, it'll help a lot of persons.

Andrea Iyamah, Nigerian Fashion designer

BREAK A LEG!!!

DAMIE