VOICED: Nigerian designer brings Haute Couture home

Falaki Folarin Coker returned to Nigeria to launch her fashion label, Tiffany Amber, filling a market gap for ready-to-wear clothing. Her designs blend African and global influences, appealing to a cosmopolitan audience. Despite being accessible mainly to wealthy clients, her label has gained international recognition, winning awards and appearing on catwalks in New York and Kenya. Falaki plans to expand her brand by opening stores in the US and Europe and finding more outlets in Nigeria.

What was the initial market gap that Falaki Folarin Coker identified upon returning to Nigeria?

• Limited access to European fashion

• Absence of ready-to-wear labels

• Lack of traditional Nigerian clothing

• Shortage of luxury fashion brands

How are Falaki's designs described in terms of their cultural and stylistic influences?

• Purely traditional African

• Strictly European

• Entirely Asian-inspired

• A blend of African tradition with global influences

What is a key feature of Falaki's design philosophy?

• Balancing tradition with modern fashion

• Creating costumes for theatrical performances

• Designing exclusively for men

• Focusing solely on traditional African attire

In which international locations has Falaki's label gained recognition?

• Paris and London

• New York and Kenya

• Tokyo and Beijing

• Sydney and Melbourne

What are Falaki's future plans for her fashion label?

• To retire from the fashion industry

• To open stores in the United States and Europe

• To switch to designing men's clothing

• To focus only on the Nigerian market