Marvin Osifo is the director of Face Fashion, a fashion events company for emerging Australian designers.
In recent years, Australian designers have gained international renown, despite the challenges that come from being so far away from the world’s fashion hubs – Paris, New York, London and Milan.
Many Australian designers have showcased their work at international fashion weeks, including couture shows.
While Marvin says the success of Australia’s established designers is something to celebrate, he saw a gap in the market for a platform which supported emerging talent.
“A lot of bigger event companies will focus on the established designers, which is a great platform for the Australian market because it puts us on the map,” Marvin says.
“But there are all these other emerging designers who don’t get that recognition or maybe don’t have the financial backing to be in a big show.”
A big part of the Face Fashion business is organising three fashion shows each year, where clients can showcase their designers to fashion buyers, media and consumers.
“The show is just one entity of the business where designers can show their collection on the runway,” says Marvin.
“But we also look at managing the designers, helping them with the marketing and PR, so they can go into the real world with the right materials to start their business.”
The business is in its 12th year, and Mr Osifo says the early years came with many challenges, as he struggled to get big businesses to come on board as sponsors for the fashion show.
“It was very difficult in the beginning because people don’t know the designers, and sponsors only want to work with established designers,” he says.
“The very first event I did in 2006 was all funded by myself actually, so I worked in retail, saved a bit of money myself. You’re looking at $20,000 to $30,000 to put on a show.”
But, despite the early challenges, Marvin says working with designers in the early stages of their career and connecting them with contacts in the exclusive fashion world is personally rewarding for him.
“All my designers, they are very humble and grateful for an experience like this. A lot of them don’t get the opportunity to be in big fashion shows, so when Face Fashion comes knocking on their door, they are very humble and appreciative,” he says.
Designers pay a fee to showcase their work in the Face Fashion show – varying from $300 to $1,000 depending on how many outfits they want to showcase.
But Marvin says the designers are mentored during the process and are not invited to participate in the show unless they are ready.
“We look at designers, and consider, whether their label is sustainable and whether consumers would buy it. I go through this with the designers and my team to make sure we are showing the right designers to the Australian public,” he says.
“We never say a direct no, but obviously if we feel that the designs and capability are not up to scratch, we do advise them, and let them know, these are some of the things you should do.”
For the Sydney-based director, style has been a lifelong passion, and he enjoys working with people who feel the same way.
“I came from Nigeria in 1992 with my family. Fashion has always been part of my family and part of my culture. We are very flamboyant with colour and print, and that’s where I got my inspiration from,” Mr Osifo said.
"I used to wear different colours and prints, things that you wouldn't normally wear as a child, and that's something I got from my mother and grandmother."
For Marvin, who was working in fashion retail before he started his business, the decision to work with emerging designers rather than established labels relates to his personal past.
“We didn’t have much; we had to start from scratch, learning English and starting school. It was all an experience for me,” he says.
“I love working with emerging designers because it’s all about the beginning, it’s all about connecting them, and that’s one thing I love doing.”
After 12 years in the business of style, Marvin has few regrets but says he’s learned the importance of slowing down.
“Just be patient, take your time, and make sure everything you do is done to the highest quality,” he advises.
“You do need that downtime, and time to separate yourself from your business, to rest and be who you are as a person.”
