Why I revolutionized Agbada and Kaftan–Prince Goke Omisore

It was double celebration for Prince Goke Omisore recently as he unveiled a new label, Aso Ibile on his 66th birthday to mark his 30th years of earning a living in commerce. The Ife prince said the fashion brand is his birthday gift to himself, a legacy to his children and future generations. He spoke with Sunday Sun at his Omission Emporium build­ing in Lekki Phase 1 about his kaftan suits which come in fine details, several unique designs using the finest of Italian fabrics. Excerpts:

What is the vision be­hind Aso Ibile?

Today is my 66th birthday and the launching of Aso Ibile, a line of Crown Prince brand. The brand focuses on our tradi­tional attire over the years. We are painstakingly re-inventing the kaftan suit in a dignified style and packaged for easier storage and marketing . We are poised to take traditional wears to a greater height. I want to believe in legacy. The Agbada or Kaftan, can be better. There’s nothing you do ordinarily that cannot be done extra-ordinarily. I believe if you are going to a field you must have something to offer. Even an ordinary cap, I have packaged it and you will be amazed. It’s something you can send to someone as a gift during Christmas or as a birth­day present. They are distinct. Nigerians are the most glamor­ous, flamboyant and colorful people on earth. Crown Prince is a fashion house strictly using our own select fabrics of high­est European quality. We stand proudly with the world’s top­most designers . We will match the best Italian suits in details. These designs you see on the rack is like a French suit made into Aso oke . The French suit is neat enough but the finishing of the French people, the Italian people is what we try to achieve here. We are playing with few other fabrics because we are targeting the upper class. All the native wears here could be worn to the office, wedding, just anywhere.

At your age one would think you will be ton­ing down in the fashion line by now.What’s your driving force?

No way. Age is just a number. I had the most beautiful bou­tique in Ikeja 30 years ago. It’s called Status. We were mainly importing the finest of design­er’s wears and accessories. The economy melted so badly then and we felt guilty to sell a suit for N500,000 . The way things are going now with the ex­change rate, it’s getting to that stage. Fashion, furniture and food flows with the economy. If you buy a shirt for $200 or $500 and you have to retail it, the price will be so high. That’s what informs this brand, we feel we should look inward. I started from owning a furniture company, what I am doing now in terms of fashion is just the icing on the cake. It’s a progres­sion. I also owned the famous Headmasters Salon on Allen Avenue, 25 years ago. We could have had a thousand branches.

What attracted you to the salon business as a man?

Let me tell you how the vision to open headmasters came about. One day, I was with Dan Agbese and Ray Ekpu. We all patronize Spicks Barbers on Allen Avenue. It was a nice skin barber shop. It’s like what you see in New York. The three of us were impressed at the services we got at Spicks Barbers. That was why I decided to do unisex salon. If you have class and panache, your work will speak for you. Even my furniture was copied by others, people visit the showroom to just have a glimpse of the designs and they are enthused with the creativity of a foremost Nigerian brand. I was designing the finest furni­ture. We opened our first shop in 1986 on Allen Avenue. You know in the ‘80s there was no competition and I could tell you that my showroom was as glam­orous as a Spa. Both the interior and exterior of the place were quite alluring. People were queuing to buy.

What has life in fash­ion been like?

I once entered a shop in New York and I saw a piece of tie which cost $150 dollars. I’m an advertising practitioner and I was based in New York. So I mixed and mingled with the upper class . Inside the same shop, they listed 7 best dressed men in the world. Can you guess who was one of them? It’s Dr. Clarkson Oritshewumi Majomi. The man is first class when it comes to class. His cars are customized ones. In fashion, the man stood out. When I opened Headmasters Salon, every Sunday, Clarkson Majomi will park his Rolls Royce or his customized Benz with the finest lady in town to do pedicure and manicure. He has style. May his soul rest in peace. In the past three years, I have been produc­ing this fashion piece in Nigeria. I add excellence and class in whatever I do. I designed and built this building we’re in. You don’t count grace by money you count it by wealth of other things. I thank God for what­ever has happened in my life. I am not in the class of people who want to make money or make name in whatever they do because whatever you do is not important but how you do it. In every aspect of whatever I do, you could see elegance in them. The most important part of it is to leave a legacy for people coming up to know that at any age, whatever you do, you should emphasize excellence.

Did you at any point attend a fashion school?

I’m a graduate of Sath Insti­tute in Brooklyn, New York. It’s the best school of design in America. The beauty of that school is that you can add courses like interior, architec­ture, industrial etc At the age of 14, I designed Christmas cards in my home town and sold them.

How was your child­hood?

I’m from a blessed family. We travelled to England and to America for studies. Then it was a big deal. To even get a visa to travel to America was a big deal. Ile Ife was the richest town in Nigeria and I’m not bragging. We were controlling the entire cocoa of Western Region. My dad had a phantom Rolls Royce, only five of it were made then. As a young man, I sat in my mother’s shop. My mother sold damask, gold, lace and other beautiful apparels. Those days, if you are wearing an Agbada, you wear it princely, you are supposed to carry the hedge of your agbada up with pride . That was what my dad taught us.

How far do you plan to push this brand?

My first son is an accountant. He might come in and take it to where I expect it to go. Fashion is something you can easily do at your comfort zone. It’s com­puterized and you can handle sales unlike furniture where you have to go to the factory and specifically be present.

What are the fashion items you cherish most?

At certain stages in life, when you are blessed, few things are collectibles. I cherish artworks and wristwatches. Don’t judge a man by his building. Judge him by his accessories because it speaks volumes about who you are. It’s all about good living not noisy living.

How do you spend your day?

I watch documentaries a lot and when I am not doing that, I write. I’m a poet. My works have been published by This day and The Nation . I sleep by 9.pm everyday. If I may add this, I have four sons and two grand sons. My first son is a bank manager in Boston, my second son is a lawyer in New York, my third son is an accountant and my last son just finished his Masters in Chemical Engineer­ing at North Western University, Chicago, Illinois.