Olusegun Ariyo
The First day she ventured into Estate Retail Market at ipaja, Alimosho local government area of Lagos state to settle down for business, it was as if every one of her thoughts of becoming the best sort after shoe designer will not come true.
Her fear was not unusual- this was because she had never touched or design any shoe in her entire life. Her first experience was the decision she took to find someone whose knowledge in shoe design is overwhelming.
True to her thought, She meet a roadside shoemaker within her area of residence that has large patronage of customer base and told him she wanted to learn shoemaking but looking at her at first, the man boosted into laughter, before he could even ask if she was serious about it, which she replied in affirmative, after which she was charged with a particular fees as apprentice.
According to her, after some time, she was not getting what she actually wanted at that point, all she could do was to assemble shoes, cut pattern of palm-shoes mostly, where at the same time, do more of sowings of shoes for people and was not fine with what she was learning, which made her opt out for another alternative, that was how she was able to satisfy her curiosity and was able to do more practical’s at where she eventually found herself; did buy materials for herself as result, looked at the designs and was able to build different designs of shoes and do more of sophisticated designs.
Her talent, according to her comes more with her ability to fix things of every kind that comes through in her way independently. That, according to her, was what helped her discover what is obtainable in today’s design of varieties of shoemaking for both male and female folks.
But after some weeks gone, she opted out, discovering that which she wanted was not the shoemaker is actually doing. Her ability to develop all kind of design spanned from how to sow, putting upper and side layers of shoe style and pattern together through her own singular efforts, even though according to her, all she could do more was to develop unique styles at customers best; learning this according to her is doing more of research; a thought getting secondary information of various types of design on internet and individual’s style of interest endeared her into the world of adventure into building shoes of different specification that suit customers’ needs, which, according to her now supersede that of those she acquired experiences from combined.
The 26years Oluwabusola Idowu said her inspiration influences her decision of attending skill acquisition programme where she learnt how to make accessories and bags even though she didn’t have any formal training in shoe designing.
Accordingly, she said her first manufactured shoe was with Ankara fabric and that wowed a lot of people with attracting wide patronage in the way this writer was attracted. ‘’I was able to design all kind of pattern of different designs like I made a style of Italian prototype shoe for a client, and it was excellent that many people patronized it’’.
When asked of the duration of those manufactured shoes she has produced would be in terms of its sustainability! She said the least she could guarantee is four years. ‘’I can do any kind of design, especially when it comes to individuals’ specification’’. ‘’ you know I love any kind of challenge of shoe design given by the client, as it spurs me into venturing into researching’’.
‘’There was this specific shoe made from Denmark and a client called me to know if I could replicate same, I answered in affirmative and eventually I was able to build and design the shoe to specification and today he is happy with it’’. ‘’I never knew I could bring up such design not until an individual put me into such task’’. ‘’I usually go online whenever design concept was given is becoming too difficult for me to build and after all search, I will get it done’’. ‘’For instance, I learnt online that timberland was produced with Nubork leather, and that was how I was able to understand the kind of leather one must use to start making timberland prototype Design and at the end, the client I produced it for was happy after everything’’.
’’ I build cooperate male shoes most often, and that is what I consider as my favorite’’.
Idowu said she has more male patronage than female counterparts. ‘’ I am more comfortable with male shoes that female.’’ ‘’in fact, there is more of financial gain in male shoe manufacture than that of female’’. Oluwabusola said she does her marketing network more through internet link like facebook, Instagram. ‘’ asked how could one reach her through her link; she said her face-book link remains Vivian Idowu whilst her Instagram link is @vlams leathers2015. Asked about her academic qualifications, oluwabusola said she is at present, a four hundred level student at the National Open University, studying computer science.
‘’I have been, all these whiles, able to manage my academics with my shoes making design demands, and there was no conflict in-between them in terms of their activities and demand’’. Continuing, Olubusola Idowu said, she hopes to be one of the greatest female shoe designers in the future. ‘’I believe the government needs to spend more on our girls. I will not allow this environment to influence me badly as I know that if I continue to improve on my skill as it is in this present form, I could be out this area and even take my parents out in the future through shoe manufacturing and design’’.
