Exclusive Interview With Mercy Kanga, CEO Kaduna Fashion Show

The CEO Kaduna Fashion Show, Mercy Kanga had an exclusive interview with JCB recently where she told us a lot about the Kaduna Fashion Show... 

JC- Tell us how you started KFS? 

Mercy Kanga - The Kaduna Fashion Show started out as an idea in 2014 Nov, when I passed through the Arewa textile around Kakuri, Kaduna. I asked myself why should a standard textile company in the North be shut down for over 10-15years.  Seeing the fact that in Nigeria now there are no jobs available so I decided to do a wake up call starting from Kaduna here and the question was how do I go about this? In January 2015, with an aim of creating jobs and encouraging skills and youth talents I started my research and publicity, then voila 1st edition held on the 18th of October 2015 and the 2nd edition on the 11th of December 2016.

JC- What do you do in your free time?

Mercy Kanga- Do I actually have free times? I wish! You know how business people are, we believe in 'you waste time the money moves along'. Well I can't actually say I sew all day but when I find myself doing nothing, I watch movies no matter how late the night is, with all passion.

JC- What should people expect in the upcoming Kaduna Fashion Show? 

Mercy Kanga - The Kaduna Fashion Show has an aim, which one of it is to bring alive the dying African culture here in Nigeria. people said we promised them the bomb but  gave them an earthquake last year lol!  Well, this year its gonna be massive,  just wait and see. We're cooking up something big.

JC - Do you work alone or you have a Team? 

Mercy Kanga - No I don't,  I have a team.

JC - What are some of your challenges

Mercy Kanga -  its a one man business and therefore, finding  sponsors to support events like this, is challenging.  Most times, They are skeptical about investing. Secondly finance is another big challenge, because to fix such an event one needs finance. And you know in every organization there's always a challenge but being an entrepreneur involves risk taking.

JC - What do you think about Fashion Designers in Kaduna.. Who was your best designer at the last edition of Kaduna Fashion Show

Mercy Kanga - Fashion Designers in Kaduna are the bomb, whether he/she just started or has been in the business for long. The Kaduna Fashion Show doesn't award any designer whether you were the best or not but in the last edition my best designer following my judgment was MMK(me and my kaftan) and Badasky fashion house

JC- Which of the designers in Kaduna do you look forward to seeing their work in the upcoming Fashion Show? 

Mercy Kanga- I'm looking up to RIK Fashion House. His name Theophilus Gimba Rikan. He's new and hot....

JC- What do you hope to have achieved in the industry, 10 years from now?

Mercy Kanga- In the next 10years, I hope to be the Gucci of Nigeria( Kanga Couture) and I also hope to achieve the re-opening of the Arewa textile. I hope to see a Kaduna filled with jobs opportunities, modeling agencies etc as a result of the Kaduna Fashion Show.

JC- Tell us about the Face of KFS

Mercy Kanga - hmmm! The Face of Kfs is something We introduced  to make our publicity go on one page not having different faces for our adverts. It's something  we introduced last year. we use that to encourage young ladies. Miss Felicia Diriyah our 2016 Face of KFS was picked out because of some achievements she has made in years past to the society, she was miss comely Queen Northeast and her breast cancer sensitization program to secondary schools. And guess what she's from Kaduna State. 

JC - How can one be the Face of KFS? 

Mercy Kanga -  Its by selection.  We don't sell forms for it.

JC- You always look so great, what's your secret?

Mercy Kanga- Looking good is good business. Gbam!

JC- Any last word, something you want your Fans to know?

1. You can be whatever you want to be if you put your heart to it. It's simple. It's a choice. -Mercy Kanga 

2. Add value First, money Will follow - Mercy kanga.

3. Wealth is not in the piece of land,  it's in the mind, think big. -Audu Maikori

JC: Thank You