Condé Nast College students collaborate with Nigerian fashion entrepreneurs

Master’s students at the Condé Nast College in London are joining forces with entrepreneurs from The Assembly Hub in Nigeria for the Unleash Fashion Business Exchange Programme, which is sponsored by the British Council.

The Assembly hub is a fashion hub platform that entrepreneurs and young creatives in Nigeria can consult for training, support, and advice. The collaboration with Condé Nast College can help boost Nigerian businesses, and may help entrepreneurs with starting their own business in West Africa, Condé Nast said in a press release. In addition, it provides students with a unique international work experience.

Students and entrepreneurs work together at the Assembly Hub in Nigeria

As part of the project, ten Condé Nast Master’s students from the Fashion Communication, Luxury Brand Strategy, and Entrepreneurship programs are selected and matched up with ten entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The teams will work together for ten weeks at The Assembly Hub and The Assembly Hub will also recruit ten interns who can gain experience in the industry of their choice.

“Putting the students and the entrepreneurs together will hopefully be a great learning experience for both groups,” said Lisa Mann, director of postgraduate, professional and online programs at Condé Nast College, and who oversees the program. “The students have expertise in areas like branding, digital marketing, and business planning and will apply those skills to help their Nigerian partners build their businesses. For the students, it’s the great real-world experience of what it means to support growth and business expansion which will stand them in good stead when they go out to work themselves.”

Sustainability is at the forefront of the collaboration. In the context of the program, Lisa Mann and her colleague Harriet Posner, who runs the Bachelor’s degree course at Condé Nast College, gave a masterclass on sustainability to the Assembly Hub members.

Ademola Adeola, talent and partnerships lead from The Assembly Hub, said: “The Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design is a leading academic institution in the international fashion industry and we are excited to partner with them to support the growth of fashion businesses in Nigeria and equally connect young creative talent to international experiences and support their career aspirations through the Unleash Fashion Business Exchange project. Ultimately this is our way of contributing to building the capacity of Nigeria’s Fashion Industry.”

Image: Unleash Fashion Business Exchange project.