Banke grew up in Nigeria and lived in Lagos till she was 8 years old, as a kid she was fascinated by the act of creating patterns for clothing materials, she started knitting at the age of five, drawing patterns on pink dresses with a felt tip pen. After her primary education at Grange primary school she moved to England to complete her education. she chose to study Art after school because of her fascination with fabrics, from the construction to the surface design. These motivated her to apply for the Foundation Art and Design Diploma course at Central Saint Martins, a London based tertiary Art school affiliated with the University of Arts.
Attending Central Saint Martins impacted her life positively and also shappened her career. It was extremely competitive and the tutors were very tough but she scaled through. After Central Saint Martins she headed to Chealse College of Art & Design to study textile design.
Banke kuku worked as a free lance textile designer for Jasmine Di Milo were she got nicknamed “The Queen of Color” by the creative director of Jasmine di Milo, because she incorporates vibrant colors of Nigerian clothing into Western styles.
She also worked for Burberry, Duro Oluwa, Designers Guild Interiors Tank magazine, Lot 78 and Jewel by Lisa. while working for these fashion houses, she worked on the side creating her own designs.
Banke Kuku started her own fashion line Banke Kuku Textiles when demand for her own product increased. In her company, she is in charge of all designs, creation and production lines of printed and woven textiles. She deals with clients’ design needs and other departments such as sales, PR, research, accounts and customer care to make sure everything is on track. Kuku draws her inspiration culture. she regularly travels throughout U.K., Europe and other parts of the world looking for ideas. Her designs have been worn by the likes of Michelle Obama, Kelis and Catt Sadler.
Apart from creating clothing materials, Banke Kuku published a book, “The Unwoven Threads of Nigeria: The Effect of the Nigerian Textile Industry On The Country’s Cultural Identity and Economy.” And in her book she advises Nigeria on how it can elevate its economy to an international level without losing its traditions and customs.
This leading woman has also won several awards which includes Women in Making 2014: a competition organised by Triumph International. She was also one of the top 10 finalists in the She Leads African Entrepreneurial Showcase. She advices Africans:
Keep very true to your identity and don’t give up when times get tough. Always stay positive and believe. Get as much advice as possible – family, friends and most importantly other industry professionals.
Banke Kuku is taking Nigerian fashion to the European catwalk, and also creating stunning fashion and interior pieces to beautify both body and home, And she proves that talent, hardwork and education is not enough to guareente success and that the key to every startup is perseverance.
Comments
Post a Comment