Favouritism, nepotism dog Lagos Design and Fashion Week

Lagos Design and Fashion week (LFDW) soon to premier this October held its modelling cast on Friday and quite a number of eager models turned up for the event, hoping to be chosen to grace the runway of the rather huge show – one simply made popular by the untimely death of the most anticipated fashion show in Nigeria, Arise fashion Week. 

For most of these models, it was their first time. For an unfortunate bunch, it would be their third or fourth time. Every year, they come for the casting and don’t get chosen and yet, every year they return, striving to get picked.

The venue, The Social Place on Sinari Daranijo, was packed to the brim with their lot and had about 70 people on the list at the start.  The casting slated for 9am, started a little after 11, a habit typical of (some) Nigerians. The female models went in first. Out of the throng, the choices were boiled down to 45. Then it was the male models’ turn and the hesitation was rather expected. More guys had turned up than the girls.

Ironically, the fewer choices would be made on the guys. Due to the limited number of male designers set to display at the fashion show, only about 15 guys would be selected. On hearing this information, the well-behaved hunks scampered towards the door for a chance to be the first to get in. The idea was that should they proceed before the other guys, their chances of getting picked would be higher. And so they became animals for a minute, but for a common cause.

Now take note, models who had participated in the show before came for the casting as well. They walked with confidence, confident that regardless of the huge number waiting to be selected, they would be considered. And so they were let in first, and before these eager lot could be let in to give their shot, they were informed by the organisers that the number needed had been picked. Peeking into the casting area, the ones seen filling out forms of acceptance were these models.

The organisers of Lagos Design and Fashion Week have had pretty successful shows since inception. They corrected all the flaws that murdered Arise Fashion Week and made a consistent gesture at not faltering. Including the partnership with GTBank.

However, this is one aspect of the show that the organizers, should they not take heed, will never get right.

Since its inception, every year, an event for model casting is held – a good gesture, which, according to the organisers, is put together to “give hope to these wannabe models”. But that hope will be dashed year after year with the knowledge that organisers already know the few they would choose eventually. So why put these career-driven lot through the trauma?

Sentimental bliss presided at the event. Models were in rage at the unfair treatment and rightly so. Who wouldn’t be? It kills whatever hope they have left. Some stuck around, hoping the organisers would come to their senses and maybe, just maybe ask them to walk again.

All hell let loose when Elite model winner, Mayowa arrived at 1pm. She explained who she was and why she was late (something to do with being at an embassy or so). By this time, Zara, the headhunter, had left .Of course, having selected the candidates she wanted, no one else mattered; and it was a one-man team that was initially two. There was a little hesitation on whether or not to cast Mayowa. Somehow, there was this sinking feeling that they considered the implication of ‘not’: the fiery wrath that would be bestowed upon them by the owner of Elite Models, and they considered casting her.

But to make it a fair game, and avoid stones being thrown, they asked the leftovers who hung around to join her. And to prove their point, out of the somewhat 10 girls who joined the model, only Mayowa got picked.

The reaction that followed after was near catastrophic. Models grumbling up and down, left to right.

“The judges don’t know how to select models,” a female model said. “I walked better than [Mayowa] the elite model, but she only got picked because she is an Elite model. It is not fair and its nepotism.”

Looking around at the models left, a lot could be told from the expressions on their faces. Some were sad, some livid, some had tears welling down their faces. Another year, another rejection. And the organisers didn’t make it any better by announcing: “This happens every year. Come back next year.”

A mother, whom I had watched waiting patiently with her daughter earlier, began pleading for her daughter that wasn’t chosen: “We don’t want the money, just the recognition.”

It is tough being a model in Nigeria. If you aren’t registered with the most recognised agencies, your chances are slimmer. Even after being registered to the so-called agencies, chances of getting picked above favorites are still slim.

During the registration process at the LDFW model casting, three lists, as opposed to two, were created. One for the male models, one for the females and one for Berth modelling agencies. And as expected, they were cast first and most of the chosen models were from the agencies.

Now, there is no disputing the fact that the models picked had all the qualities they wanted. The questions is and still remains: why call for a casting when there are favorites already? To get proved wrong? These favorites are known faces in the industry. Selection cannot be that hard to call for a casting of over 70 models. My resolution would be to spare these models the horror of going through this tough time in their career.

One model, amid tears, said: “This is my third time coming for the cast and my third time getting rejected, but it will also be my last.”

If the organisers already knew who and what they wanted in terms of specification, then they select their models by agencies. Instead of a general cast, ask for agencies to submit their model portfolios. It could be agencies per year. That way, you give every agency a chance and a further chance to grow and expand.

And then if need be for a casting for fresh faces, hold a cast with totally new faces and select from them. It creates a competition among members of the group, knowing that they are competing against one another and not against already-established models. It helps them realise what they aren’t doing better. Heck, you can turn it into a competition itself. Let them know they earned it and not because they are affiliated to a friend’s agency.

There is no joy derived from dashing hopes of people who have chosen this tough terrain as their career path. It isn’t encouraging either.