Folake Coker facts for kids

Folake Folarin-Coker, born in 1974, is a talented Nigerian fashion designer. She is also the creative director of her well-known fashion brand, Tiffany Amber.

Early Life and Education

Folake was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1974. Her family comes from the Yoruba ethnic group in Ibadan. She studied in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. After her studies, she earned a special degree in petroleum law. However, she returned to Nigeria to follow her passion for fashion.

Building a Fashion Brand

Folake launched her fashion brand, "Tiffany Amber," in Lagos in 1998. This brand now has four special stores and boutiques in Lagos and Abuja. She has presented her fashion collections in many shows. These shows have taken place in Africa, Europe, and the United States.

Milestones in Fashion

In 2008, Folake made history. She was the first African-based fashion designer to show her work twice at the New York Fashion Week. This was a big achievement for her brand.

She also received important awards for her work. In 2009, she was the first person to win the "Designer of the Year" award. This was at the African Fashion Week in Johannesburg. In 2011, her brand was named "Fashion Brand of the Year" at the ARISE Magazine Fashion Week.

In 2013, Folake received an Enterprise Award. This was at the Women, Inspiration and Enterprise (WIE) Symposium. She was also included in the Forbes Power Women list. This list recognizes powerful women around the world. More recently, she showed her 'Nirvana' spring/summer collections at the DOII Designs launch.

Family Influence

Folake Coker once shared how her father, Bode Akindele, influenced her. She said her father did not choose their careers for them. Instead, he would guide them in the career paths they chose.

Personal Life

Folake was married to businessman Folorunsho Coker. He was once the managing director of the number plate production authority in Lagos State. He now works as a business adviser to the Governor of Lagos.