Guaranty Trust Bank plc in collaboration with Style House Files,
a creative development agency, have announced a partnership with
Selfridges, UK, the famous London fashion destination voted this year
best department store in the world* for the second time consecutively.
The partnership which re-affirms the
Bank’s on-going support for the growth and exposure of African fashion
and Art to the international community and is tagged “Guaranty Trust Bank presents Ndani – a Style House Files Initiative’. Ndani
represents the beauty of Africa and the innovative partnership entails
the display of African fabrics and designs made by select fashion
designers. These designers will exhibit at Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street in the UK between November 2012 and January 2013.
Participating designers include: Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) 2012 Young Designer Of The Year Finalists, AGU and House of Silk, DOT Handbags, Eki Orleans, Ituen Basi, Jewel By Lisa, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Odio Mimonet, Tiffany Amber.
These designers will be showcasing their Spring Summer 2013 womenswear
collection and accesories exclusively at the special Nigerian temporary
fashion store within Selfridges during the project.
Commenting on the project with Selfridges, the Managing Director and CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje stated that GTBank is a “Proudly African and Truly International”
institution with a passion to revolutionize banking in Africa and
advocate the projection of Africa’s rich culture to the world. He
further stated that “we have decided to sponsor this initiative
because we realize that the whole world needs to know about the
creativity of African fashion designers and their contributions to
global art development.”
Omoyemi Akerele, Creative Director of Style House Files stated ‘this partnership with GTBank and Selfridges signifies what Style House Files
represents; moving beyond the runway and making an impact which will
result in creating a financial viable model for creative growth in the
Nigerian fashion industry. She further added ‘ at the
moment the global fashion industry is being influenced and inspired by
Africa and it is time to move Nigerian labels to the mainstream to take
advantage of this’
Judd Crane, Director of Womenswear at Selfridges said “We
are very excited by the prospect of being the first department store in
the world to give a proper showcase to some of the best fashion
designers in Nigeria. We were won over by the talent we found there and
are delighted to be able to help the Nigerian fashion industry to be
further exposed to an international clientele.”
ABOUT STYLE HOUSE FILES
Style House Files is a creative
development agency that focuses on the development of the Nigerian
fashion industry. Established in March 2010 it has become an industry
resource that is centred on growing fashion into viable business models
and providing training for fashion and creative professionals in Nigeria
and Africa at large. Style House Files are the producers of the Lagos
Fashion and Design Week, an annual fashion trade show.
ABOUT GTB
Guaranty Trust Bank plc is one of the
few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy since its inception in
1990. The Bank actively supports numerous programmes across Africa that
positively affect child healthcare, education, the Art, Community
Development and environmental sustainability. Its most recent projects
in this regard include the sponsorship of the GTBank – Lagos State
Principals Cup, a grassroots football development initiative amongst
secondary school students and its public school intervention project
called “Adopt-a-school” programme which involves infrastructure and
human capacity development.
Guaranty Trust Bank was established in
1990 and presently operates from over 200 offices in Nigeria and banking
subsidiaries in Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and
the United Kingdom.
ABOUT SELFRIDGES
In June 2010 Selfridges was named Best
Department Store in the World by the IGDS (Intercontinental Group of
Department Stores). The title, which Selfridges held until June 2012, is
the industry’s highest accolade. Selfridges won the title again in June
2012, for an unprecedented two times consecutively. The title applies
until June 2014. Selfridges has four stores in London, Birmingham and
Manchester (Trafford Centre, Exchange Square) and an online store
delivering within the UK. Selfridges was founded in 1909 by American
retail genius Harry Gordon Selfridge who created what is widely
recognized as a revolution in retail with his seminal store. Today
Selfridges is acknowledged as one of the most influential and exciting
fashion destinations in the world.
