“It is 2 hours and 30 minutes late and the model is not here,” Cynthia Nwaru says to the camera. She is the brand’s Head Of Strategy. She is antsy because everyone is on set to shoot a campaign and the booked model is not even answering calls. Five hours later, the model struts in and Atafo puts aside all emotions. There is work to be done, she is unhappy but must ignore it because that is what it takes to run a brand on ATAFO’s scale and this documentary shows a glimpse of that.
ATAFO, a luxury fashion label by Mai Atafo, has established itself as a one-stop shop for well-tailored suits. In recent years, it has re-established itself as a leading creative factory with exquisite craftsmanship. In 2023, ATAFO led the trend of creating a multidimensional fashion show. Now, it has partnered with Days and Nites production to create a three-part fashion documentary about the 2023 show.
WHAT’S IN THE DOCUMENTARY?
Premiering on the 20th of October, the documentary creates an insight into the inception, production and execution of a show of such scale. Between the hall set-up and personnel hiring, the showcase’s production cost exceeded $100,000. This makes it the most elaborate and largest fashion show in Africa. “The more I had meetings, the more money was required. The numbers kept rising,” Mai Atafo said as he reflected.
The first part focuses on the campaigning process, photoshoots and structure. Mai Atafo is full of ideas, he says little but can be seen directing the model on how to pose. He climbs the GAC vehicle and poses, she gets the message and repeats his moves.
The second part follows the days leading up to the show. The screen gives us a countdown, telling us how many days to show are left. Five days to the show, we see Ashley Okoli on screen, she has had the honour to walk two ATAFO shows, both memorable.
The first was a surprise because, in the matrix, Okoli’s style is the antithesis of the ATAFO style. Okoli has a different opinion, “They are all my style, once I am in it, it is my style.” She doubles down as she explains the ATAFO style, “he has been in the game and he gets it. He understands me, he understands style.”
It is the third part and it is showtime. “It is about creating a great experience for the audience,” Mai Atafo says on his decision to go big. His vision for the show was simple, he wanted to show African designers that we can do it. “You see large buildings in Nigeria, in Europe, there are fashion houses that large. I want to inspire a generation, I want them to see an MTN building and say my brand is going to be that big.” Atafo no longer thinks for just the present, he thinks for the future.
The ATAFO inspiration tap is litres away from running dry and the documentary provides a new angle of interactivity in fashion. “In Nigeria, we love fashion but we do not respect it. We still envision that tailor mindsight towards renowned brands,” Atafo explains. He plans to change that and his 2023 show was his first step.
A RECAP OF THE 2023 ATAFO SHOW.
A few days before the Lagos Fashion Week of 2023, ATAFO shocked the Nigerian industry as it hosted a high-scale fashion experience for its Spring Summer 2024 collection. Sartorial Reverie, it was called, was held at the Eko Convention Centre and over 800 distinguished guests were in attendance. On their experience, the Mbadiwe twins said, “The experience of having music was genius, I am impressed with Mai’s creativity.”
Sartorial Reverie explored the intersection of fashion and introspection. The extensive collection featured five segments: traditional, bridal, formal, casual, and a closing segment of suits with hand-painted designs. Notable pieces included white blazer bridal dresses, traditional Edo attire, and garments with the ATAFO monogram. On his inspiration for the beloved traditional collection, he said, “As a proud Edo man, I want to showcase the beauty of my culture of men wearing a skirt, like some of the strongest men he knows.”
