Foloker Folarin-Coker is not a name that is as famous as some within the world of fashion, but she has created an African fashion label that has not only proved hugely popular within the continent, but has begun to attract attention from further afield. Folarin-Coker has already achieved many firsts for an African fashion designer, and is determined to build her label into something even greater.
Self-taught Success
Foloker Folarin-Coker was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1974, and at a young age she went to Switzerland and the UK in order to further her education. Folarin-Coker eventually graduated with a master’s degree in petroleum law, and returned to Nigeria in 1996. While her education seemed to be leading to a career in law, her real passion was in fashion, and despite having no background in the competitive industry, she created a small collection of her own designs upon her return home.
By 1998, Folarin-Coker had launched her label, Tiffany Amber, and the label has gone on to become one of Nigeria’s most popular fashion brands. The label’s domestic success led to 4 stand-alone stores in Lagos and Abuja, and Folarin-Coker became the first winner of the “Designer of the Year” award at African Fashion Week in 2009.
However, it is not just in the domestic market in which the Tiffany Amber line has proved popular, as Folarin-Coker was invited to showcase her designs at the New York Fashion Week in 2008. Her collection was met with such praise that she was invited back the following week, becoming the first ever African designer to present a range twice at the prestigious event.
Continued Expansion
Folarin-Coker continued to innovate after her breakthrough into international recognition, and in 2008 she launched two new ranges within her company. TAN by Tiffany Amber is a diffusion line that was launched alongside Folake Folarin, which is a couture line
In 2013, Forbes magazine listed Folake-Folarin as one of Africa’s 20 Young Power Women, and by 2014, the self-taught designer had staged more than 60 fashion shows at home and abroad.
Another line, Tiffany Amber Living, was added to her burgeoning portfolio, and Folarin-Coker says that her success was based on the principle of reinvention without changing the core of the brand. The designer explained, “Continuously reinvent yourself but don’t change the DNA of the brand’ –that’s what I believe, everyone knowing what the Tiffany Amber look is, is what has kept us.”
As the designs continue to prove popular and her range continues to grow, Folarin-Coker is determined to create a brand that remains iconic long after she is no longer around. She has said that her ethos is to work for the future as opposed to the present, and she has a firm belief in the talent within the Nigerian fashion industry.
As she continues to look forwards, Folarin-Coker says that her goal is to “have a presence all over Africa and ultimately every major city of the world.” Only time will tell whether these grand designs for the future are achieved, but thus far her goals have certainly been met with success.