Ade Bakare Celebrates 20 years in Fashion

Ade Bakare Couture set up his label in 1991 in London, England. He initially started selling a line of day and evening wear designs to boutiques and shops across England. Later, he opened a salon in Mayfair, London where he designed spectacular couture clothes for exclusive clients. In 1998, saw the introduction of the bridal line. This proved an instant hit. Elegant wedding dresses in modern silhouettes and his favorite gazar. He created a following especially in Nigeria which saw brides fly down to London for appointments. A perfume called BREEZE was also launched. 

A floral based scent that has exquisite ingredients such as sambaca, teak and sandalwood. It was designed in a blue bottle with a satin bow and was delivered in an organza bag.

Due to his increasing popularity, he was invited to show his collections across the world, in places such as Monaco, Cape Town, Vienna,Mozambique, Nigeria, New York and recently in Paris where he was  also given an award.

His line of clothes have graced the backs of lots of English celebrities and aristocrats, in Nigeria where he opened a boutique he is equally seen in esteemed circles, designing for 1^st ladies, senators, wives of ministers. Royalty and professional women.

Due to his huge interest in supporting new talent he started the young designers creative competition (YDCC) in 2006 to serve as a platform for emerging talent to show their abilities offering them the opportunity to show alongside himself to his illustrious cients. The former and  1^st lady of Lagos State have always been the patrons. Senator Oluremi Tinubu and currently Mrs Abimbola Fashola. The competition award which was the 1^st of its kind in Nigeria has encouraged a lot of the selected entrants and winners, some of whom have gone abroad to further their studies in fashion. Others in Nigeria have set up successful fashion businesses and keep in touch with Mr Bakare through his Lagos shop to update him on their developments.

He was given an award by the  Ministry of Youth and Culture in Abuja as recognition for his support in empowering young fashion designers in Nigeria.

He has received many awards since his days at design college in Manchester. Awards from Natwest Bank, Western Union, Brides (conde’nast) England, City People(Nigeria), Paris Academy (France).

He was featured on Silverbird Television during the celebration of Nigeria’s 50 years Independence and spoke at length on fashion over the decades in Nigeria.

He has written numerous articles on Fashion and the Arts. He currently writes as a contributing writer for the leadership newspaper for the fashion supplement Le Vogue under his column “camera obscura” and Interior Essentials.

To mark the 20 years celebration in Nigeria, he would be staging a fashion show to launch his spring/summer 2012 collection. Past and upcoming young designers will be showing their collection which acts as a pre-show for the YDCC event which is to hold early next year. Designers showing are Tobi  Alade Vincent (Alvince) menswear, Omar Yussuf (Androjean Clothing)menswear, Olaide Ademodi (LD Designs)womenswear and Christian Adim (Ambassador Kouture)menswear.

The event is to be held by 6pm on the 17^th of December at the prestigious new Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi where Mr Ade Bakare was also responsible for designing the female staff uniforms.

Recently, Ade Bakare launched a line of jersey dresses under the Bakare Breeze diffussion line which has been a huge crowd puller to the Lagos Boutique. The jersey line dresses which was inspired by some of his clients notably Helen Ajayi and Rosemary Fowler has been a huge success. They are available in various lengths of short, midi and long dresses and colors such as greens, browns, purples, lilacs, peach, pinks and black. One of the major attractions of the jersey line is the use of African inspired fabrics such as silk, adire, batik prints and Ankara cottons. They are embellished with beads and Swarovski crystals.

The styles range from sleeveless dress, low cut backs, jump suits and strap dresses ideal for both day and evening. They have become a hit with our clients who adore the comfort jersey offers. Yinka Odumakinde, Chioma Okoye, Shade Alesh, Nkiru Anumudu, Maryan Chukwueke, Bola Adesola, Lara Elebute, Betty Irabor, Mosun Ogunbanjo, Gbemi Shasore, Theresa Okeke, Cecilia Umoren, Ronke Fatade, Bukky Latunji, Samiah Ahmed, Priscillia Ihenachio and Flora Fabyan amongst many others. This line of dresses will also be shown at the event  on the 17^th of December.

Sponsors include MTN Nigeria, Vlisco, Lagos State Government, LASAA, Moet Hennessy Nig, Keystone Bank amongst others.

For more info or ticket bookings, pls contact Mr Tani Oshodi on 07087773173 or 08027626345