The much anticipated GTBank Fashion Weekend is finally over and I’m going to give you the lowdown. Everything from the good, the bad and the ugly.
I had two weeks to plan my two outfits for the two days of GTBank Fashion Weekend and I felt like I wanted to create two very different looks. What’s the point of fashion if you’re not going to have fun with it? If you want to see how I styled my two looks, keep on reading. 😉
The Good
GTBank Fashion Weekend was not at all what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be another version of LFDW but I was wrong. Read about my experience at LDFW here.
The two day fashion weekend is less about the fashion shows and more about the showcase of the various fashion brands exhibiting. It is a collaboration of fashion designers, brands and retailers.
Another reason it’s different from LFDW is that it is free. Something I initially found off-putting but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did not detract from my enjoyment of the event.
There were masterclasses hosted by leading experts in the fashion industry from Fashion Consultant and PR Expert, Sophie Hedley to renowned Nigerian Photographer, TY Bello among many others. View the list of speakers for Day 1 and 2 here.
The fashion weekend event was held at GT Centre in VI, and the outside area was by far my favourite place to be. The setup resembled a shopping village in Europe. Think, Bicester Village. It was evident that a lot of time and effort had been put into the concept and design.Whoever came up with the design layout did a stellar job. It was the perfect spot for people like myself taking photos and videos.
Another good thing about GTBFW were the mobile toilets. I don’t like to use public toilets but sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go. I also have to touch up my face intermittently because the heat melts your makeup right off so having a clean and fresh smelling toilet to powder one’s nose was a dream. The toilets were also airconditioned and much cooler than the exhibitors’ hall.
Last but definitely not least on my list of ‘good’ was the food sold by K-Mac. Those who know me well know that I love me some meat so when someone sells me meat that is consistently well seasoned and tasty, I will be your customer for life. On Day 1 and 2, I was at K-Mac grill unashamedly eating grilled sausage and turkey with my fingers (in public). They served yam and corn as well but I was not interested in those, I just wanted the meat. KFC’s got a run for their money because they are what I call “finger licking good”. The food was a highlight for me.
The Bad
In my opinion, the registration for the GTBFW masterclasses and runway shows could have gone better.
I did not attend the masterclasses or runway shows but I did register for two of the masterclasses almost two weeks before the show. Upon registration, I received an alert which stated that I would be sent confirmation of registration in a few days. Unfortunately, I did not receive said confirmation and even though I followed up with the events team via email, I received an auto-generated email telling me that registration was closed.
The registration for the runway shows was announced on their Instagram page a day before the show. But when you click the link to register, it said registration was closed. I saw people commenting on GTBank’s Instagram page saying they couldn’t register because registration was closed. Why ask people to register when registration is closed?
I would also have liked to see more food vendors. The options were Dominos pizza, Coldstone and KMac so you either had pizza or grilled meat with fried yam. Most people like myself had a preference for meat but that just meant the queue for meat was exceptionally long. Some people were turned away and asked to come back an hour later because they were inundated with orders. This could have been avoided if there were more food vendors.
I wasn’t at GTBFW last year, 2016 but the one or two people I spoke to said there was more to see at the various stands last year than there were this year. This year’s stands consisted of vendors selling clothing, bags, hair, lingerie, fascinators and eyewear. Nothing particularly stood out but it was fun to see.
The Ugly
Not much ugly except that it rained heavily on day 2 and I had to spend 35 minutes in my car, in the parking lot waiting for the rain to abate. A plan to get people from the parking lot into the main hall without getting wet would have made all the difference in the world. Most people go to fashion shows to see and be seen. To arrive soaking wet is everyone’s nightmare. The event organisers should have taken that into consideration. But maybe that’s asking too much of a free event.
Although I wasn’t registered to attend the masterclasses or fashion shows, I enjoyed my experience regardless. Fashion shows to me are about what you wear, making connections, admiring other fashionistas and keeping up to date with the latest fashion trends. So 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Lookbook
Here are my looks for the two days. I went for an edgy, rebellious look on day 1 and a polished and elegant look for day 2. Which of the two looks is your favourite?
Look 1 of Day 1
Look 2 of Day 2
My impression of the event was good. GTBFW is definitely a fashion event worth attending for anyone in the fashion industry. With most things, there is room for improvement. For an event that was free for all, they did a really good job.
Will I attend next years event? You bet I would. I’ve been to two fashion events in Lagos and so far this one is my favourite. Definitely one to remember.
Look 1 – Creative Design by me and @dejive, T-shirt by Mmbabon
Look 2 – Skirt Suit by Jaymodiva, Heels – River Island
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