looking to spread tentacles in the continent.
Currently the head of PR and communications
at Boohoo.com, a retailing outfit in the UK,as
well as a publicity consultant and administrator
to other brands, Arieta has earned her stripes
as a strong force and influence in the fashion
industry for her continent and for the world. To
top it all off, she is such a personable and relat-
able individual with absolutely no airs! Glean-
ing from her was highly inspirational. It was a
great honor getting her honest opinions on the
Nigerian fashion industry and it’s certainly not
too late to inspire change. Get the scoop below.
Can you describe your role as a publicist?
A publicist, also known as a public relations
specialist, is someone who generates media
coverage for their client in order to promote
them to the public. Brands and clients who
need to create awareness or to improve its im-
age in the public eye need good publicists.
At the moment, I oversee a team of publicists
both in Nigeria and internationally for a major
retailer in the UK called NBROWN, a curve&
plus size clothing brand known as Simply Be,
Figleaves underwear and Jacamo.
How different is it to publicize for fashion in
Nigeria compared to other sectors?
It’s tremendously hard to be a publicist in Nige-
ria as we don’t have systems in place to ensure
360 outcomes. PR supports marketing first and
foremost so there needs to be a marketing plan
for a publicist to build a strategy around- from
what I know of, not a lot of brands have this. I
do know of a few standout publicists in Nige-
ria like Bidemi Zakariyau and Ijeoma Balogun
who are doing a great job regardless.
What challenges stand out in publicizing
fashion?
With the emergence of social media platforms,
a lot of brands think it’s just a matter of starting
an Instagram / Facebook page and buying fol-
lowers- there’s a lot more that goes into it con-
verting likes or views into sales.... Most Nigeri-
an brands especially don’t opt for PR services as
they don’t really grasp what good PR can do or
16 / BLANCKLITE / OCT 2018 / www.blanckdigital.com
how to use it effectively.
What fashion brands currently appeal to you
in terms of image and public perception?
Always Orange Culture, LOZA Molenmbho,
Tongoro studio, Christie brown and I love all the
denim stuff from NKWO. All of these brands
have strong aesthetics and a tone of voice which
speak to me. Also, the creative directors are
grafters! They know their craft and keep learn-
ing.
What would you say is mainly lacking in the
fashion industry today?
Education - who is teaching who? We have no
standard fashion schools or colleges- a lot of
people are self taught which is great;however, to
what standard are they working? Things need to
be done properly in order to sustain the indus-
try.
What would you like to see change?
The perception that creativity is for rich kids- I
don’t see enough kids from poor backgrounds
with creative talent being celebrated – I’d also
love there to be more opportunities for creatives
from less affluent backgrounds…
What’s the first advice you’d give an be emerg-
ing fashion brand, individual or publication as
regards their PR strategy?
Do due diligence, understand what awareness
and noise you are trying to create, think on how
you or your brand stand out from others? Then
go for it.
What’s your ultimate fashion dream?
One of the dreams I have is for AFRICAN cre-
ativity and fashion to be regarded on par with
the rest of the world. When there won’t be any
boxes holding us in... However, my ultimate
fashion dream is too controversial and I can’t
tell you this... it’s huge and too scary to divulge...
well for now....
17 / BLANCKLITE / OCT 2018 / www.blanckdigital.com