OMOYENI AKERELE IS A FINALIST FOR TOMMY HILFIGER’S SOCIAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE

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Founder of Style House Files and Lagos Fashion Week Omoyeni Akerele has clinched a finalist position on the Tommy Hilfiger social innovation challenge.

This is a big one for the Nigerian fashion industry and so well deserved.

Known to be one of the strongest forces in the Nigerian fashion industry, she’d recently been honoured for the 6th year in a row by the prestigious BoF for her contribution to the industry and she is a pioneer for the Nigerian fashion industry.

Akerele reached the finals of the Tommy Hilfiger Social Innovation Challenge, eliminating thousands of applicants for the chance to win a significant amount of money to support their ventures alongside a year-long mentorship with Tommy Hilfiger’s internal experts globally after completing a business development course with the Tommy Hilfiger team in Amsterdam.

According to a press statement on their website:

The TOMMY HILFIGER Social Innovation Challenge is a global initiative that aims to support entrepreneurial start-up and scale-up stage businesses that are developing solutions that have a positive social impact on the fashion value chain. Winners will receive a year-long mentorship with Tommy Hilfiger’s internal experts globally, in addition to winning a grant of up to €100,000 as well as a place on the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Program (ISEP)

“Our brand has a strong history of mentoring and supporting talented individuals who have the drive to turn bold ideas into a reality,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “The future success of our industry depends on proactively discovering and nurturing innovative projects that can create real social change. The TOMMY HILFIGER Social Innovation Challenge is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on incredible ideas that could change the lives of people through a more positive and inclusive fashion landscape.”

About the Final Challenge

Seven finalists will be invited to develop their project plans with the support of a team of dedicated Tommy Hilfiger subject-matter experts during a one-week “Sprint” at the Tommy Innovation Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. They will pitch their finalised concept at the global TOMMY HILFIGER Social Innovation Challenge event in early 2019, where a panel will select three winners who will be awarded between €50,000 and €100,000 to support their ventures.