Entrepreneur Spotlight : Frank White

 

Frank White is an international fashion designer,he has designed for lots of big wigs all over the world ;From State governors to senators,business men in Nigeria to premiership footballers from various clubs like Tottenham Hotspurs, Arsenal Football Club and Newcastle United to mention a few, several Nigerian artists like Olamide, Don Jazzy, Wande Coal, Duncan Mighty and Basket Mouth, Bracket, Duncan Mighty etc.I'm sure you all are familiar with the bespoke blazer badges,He is responsible for that ..YES !He started that trend..

 Here we go....

Brief introduction about yourself and how long you have been in the fashion industry‎

Frank White was born in London in the 70's to Nigerian parents who were schooling in the UK.

I moved to northern Nigeria with my farther in 1977 where i was enrolled in Kano Capital school when it was ran by expatriates.

After completing primary six I then went to a private college, Musa Iliasu College which was also in Kano where I studied till JSS2, I then left Musa Iliasu College and went to Federal Government College Kaduna where i joined in JSS 2, I was there till the end of my JSS3 then there was a riot which subsequently led to me returning back to England where I enrolled in College of North West London and did a one year access course and then went to University of Luton to study psychology.

It was at University of Luton i decided to change careers and study Media and communication where i subsequently graduated.

As a young boy growing up in Nigeria I had always been artistic and creative, i don't think i ever bought a greeting card till my later years.I had always wanted my clothes to look different from anything anyone has, so i had a habit of modifying my clothes to the desired taste and that included things like adding extras that were not included by the manufacturer, so it is fair to assume that i have been designing from a very young age but didn't turn it into a career till 2009

Does your work reflect your personal fashion taste?Can you describe your style?

Fashion to me evolves, Style is what matters. It does not depend on what is popular or what is current, Style is what you make it and how you wear and carry garments off.

Nigerians as a whole have always been fashionable, we come from a society where we all

want to look the best we can so fashion has become an essential part of being Nigerian as a nation of fun loving, hard working and good looking people. I would describe my style as eclectic as I wear an array of clothing that differ from time to time but I have been known to like bold colours. 

‎ what do u enjoy most about designing clothes ,shoes etc and the  most challenging part?

The dream to succeed and the passion for fashion, I have a saying ' I like what i do because I do what i like' you have to enjoy what you do because if you don't,it becomes mundane and you loose interest and focus.

The most challenging part is putting something out there that is desirable to a wide range of people from all walks of life, when people take to it then i enjoy watching it become a trend just like the bespoke blazer badges I am responsible for.

 Have looked through your designs,they are unique,how do source for the materials used in making Frank White Shoes etc.. Is Frank White affordable?

Sourcing materials has always been one of the most important parts of my designs, I get fabrics from all over the world as long as the internet is alive, a lot of my fabrics are from Europe as I like the EU certification which is recognized world wide, It also give my clients and customers the peace of mind that they are buying products which have been certified to a very high standard. I use the best materials available and make my shoes and clothing very affordable, I am not all out for profit so my prices have always been very affordable, out pricing yourself has never been a good business strategy.

Your dream client?

As a designer I don't have a dream client, everybody is a potential client I have had the pleasure of working with and for various people from various walks of life, from state governors and senators and business men in Nigeria to premiership footballers from various clubs like Tottenham Hotspurs, Arsenal Football Club and Newcastle United to mention a few, several Nigerian artists like Olamide, Don Jazzy, Wande Coal, Duncan Mighty and Basket Mouth, Bracket, Duncan Mighty and many more have all  worn some of my clothing.

There are quite a number of fashion designers out there,what makes Frank White stand out?

Every year I try to create something different from the year before, the good thing with fashion is that even a little change is noticeable, and I always try to improve the quality every year so my clients get better value for money. I pride myself on my customer service and I leave clients with excellent experiences and  beautiful products that they cant help but talk about it to others and that's what makes me stand out, i also have a very good eye to detail and I encourage customers to try things they otherwise wouldn't have gone for so people notice the difference and the talking starts, that's where the brand name spreads.

On a scale of 1-10,rate the Nigerian fashion industry

The Nigerian fashion industry is growing, it has come a long way in very little time, I guess the influence of Afrobeat is very noticeable. I give it a 7.

 What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?

Its not an easy field to break into, a lot of blood sweat, tears, hard work, perseverance and more blood sweat and tears, not everyone who goes into it is recognized or becomes successful, I can tell you that hard work, luck and creativity are all part of the essential ingredients that make a successful designer, never take no for an answer, seek to always improve, be the best always and be very humble, humility goes a long way.

 Please note : The purpose of this interview is to promote and encourage entrepreneurship among youths and i hope to spotlight more entrepreneurs both at home and in diaspora.