Folake Coker is an award-winning fashion designer and entrepreneur. She is the founder and creative director of a notable fashion and lifestyle brand, Tiffany Amber. Folake Coker is the pioneer of ready-to-wear outfits in Nigeria and has risen to a respected height in the fashion industry.
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With over 20 years of hard work, she has and is still giving African Fashion the recognition it deserves internationally. She is the first African fashion designer to showcase her collection at the New York Mercedes Fashion Week two years in a row.
Folake Coker Background
Folake Coker was born on the 28th of February, 1974 to the family of Chief Bode Akindele, the Parakoyi of Ibadan land. Her father is the owner of Mondondola Group of Companies, an indigenous conglomerates in Nigeria. Her father also owns Fairegate Group, a top international company that deals in real estate and property.
She started her education in Nigeria before moving to the United Kingdom where she completed her studies. Folake forged ahead to earn a postgraduate degree in petroleum law from Switzerland before heading back to Nigeria.
Folake was married to Folorunsho Coker, the Director-General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, and they are blessed with three children.
How Folake Coker Started Fashion Designing
Despite having a master’s degree in petroleum law, she returned to Nigeria to pursue her fashion interest. Fashion was a passion for Folake Coker, little wonder she is one of the leaders in the African fashion world.
Folake started sewing as a hobby during her undergraduate days in Nigeria. During one particular semester break not wanting to idle away her time, she seized the opportunity to learn sewing.
After a while, she could make her own clothes and gradually, she started making her friends’ clothes as well and eventually held a fashion show during another long holiday. Ever since then, she has been topping her game.
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Folake Coker And Tiffany Amber Label
In 1998, Folake finally launched a clothing label, Tiffany Amber in Nigeria. At that time, the Nigerian fashion industry has not gotten the kind of awareness it currently enjoys. It took a great marketing strategy, hard work and consistency for Folake to scale Tiffany Amber into an International winning label.
Tiffany Amber is a fashion and lifestyle brand that has a global appeal with an innate sense of glamour. Every collection is timeless, feminine and effortlessly stylish with a touch of African heritage.
Ten years after the launch of the brand, Folake made her first major international debut in New York. She showcased her collection at the Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week. The organizers of the shows were blown away by Tiffany Amber collections; which got her a second invite. This act made Folake Coker the first African fashion designer to showcase her collection at the New York Mercedes Fashion Week two years in a row. Ever since then, she has staged several shows in Africa, Europe, and United State.
How Folake Coker Expanded of Tiffany Amber
In 2008, the same year she showcased her collection at the New York Mercedes Fashion Week, Folake Coker launched two extensions under her clothing line; TAN by Tiffany Amber and Folake Folarin. Folake Folarin is the couture line while TAN by Tiffany Amber is the diffusion line
TAN by Tiffany Amber is more accessible to women and girls across Africa and mixes a blend of modern designs with African culture. The brand partners with African artists and artisans to deliver fashionable and culturally authentic products.
In 2014, Tiffany Amber launched a lifestyle brand, Tiffany Amber Living. Tiffany Amber Living collection is made up of high quality handmade pieces that reflects African beauty. These include hand-painted luxe sofa, throw pillows, fluffy teddies and many more.
Today, the brand Folake Coker started as a hobby and passion has grown to be one of the Africa’s most influential brands.
Folake Coker’s Achievements
- In September 2018, Tiffany Amber partnered with Lancome, a French luxury cosmetics brand and ALARA which is one of Africa’s most luxurious concept stores to present her Summer-Spring (SS) collection for 2019 titled “Made in Africa…Made for Now”. This collection was showcased in Paris during the Paris Fashion Week.
- Tiffany Amber was the first Nigerian brand chosen to be an ambassador of Luxury Connect Africa. She launched its maiden African Luxury Exhibition in Paris in January 2018.
- The brand presented its Autumn-Winter (AW) 2019 Collection at ARISE Fashion Week; headlined by the America supermodel, Naomi Campbell.
- She is the pioneer of ready-to-wear outfits in Nigeria.
- Folake Coker has appeared in publications from Marie Claire to Vogue Italia. She has also been profiled on BBC, the New York Post, and CNN.
- She was nominated for 2018 African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) Award in the creative Industry award category.
Folake Coker’s Recognition and Awards
Designer of the Year at African Fashion International Johannesburg 2009
Fashion Brand of the Year at the Arise Magazine Fashion Week 2011
Enterprise Award at Women, Inspiration & Enterprise Symposium 2013
Forbes’ 20 Young Power Africa Women 2013
Celebrity Designer of the Year at EbonyLife TV Sisterhood Awards 2016
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