Meet Nwalozie, The 27-Year-Old Nigerian Fashion Designer Who Won The Vlisco Award 2019 (Photo)

Jessica Nwalozie, a 27-year-old fashion designer and freelance fashion illustrator, has won the Vlisco fashion fund 2019, The Nation reports.

She won for her creative thought process, her fabric manipulation techniques and ability to play with shapes to create a 3D interpretation of her concept.

“My brand, Jessica James, is about creating experiences and not just a couple of beautiful garments,” Nwalozie said.

Vlisco Fashion Fund contest is to support emerging African fashion designers and their businesses in Nigeria, DRC Congo, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

However, Vlisco Nigeria’s Marketing Manager Adeola Chu-Osakwe said African fashion designers living elsewhere in or outside Africa, might also enter the global contestant category.

“In 2019, one winner is selected from each of this year’s six participating countries, and one winner from the global category,”she said.

“The seven winners will each receive career funding equivalent of €5,000, plus a two-week master class abroad.”

Chu-Osakwe also said the VFF prize funding must be invested back into the winners’ businesses.

“It might be used to set up a studio or purchase new equipment, for example.”