Ade Bakare

Cape Fashion Week says "...The Ade Bakare (Couture) London label has now become synonymous with classic yet modern fashion over the years. The label, which was started by Ade Bakare in 1991, has now grown to include other lines such as Shoes, Bags, Scarves and Jewellery.

This enables his ever-loyal clientele to have the Ade Bakare complete look and experience.

The label, which attracts women from all walks of life; celebrities, royalty and the working lady, was set up in 1991 with the assistance of the Princes Youth Business Trust (PYBT). The Ready To Wear Collection sold to stores and boutiques across England , in places such as London , Guildford Esher, Amersham and. Sheffield, plus Scotland and the Channel Islands .

Due to an increasing demand for couture by private clients Ade Bakare decided to open a salon on Grosvenor Street in Mayfair to cater for them. The showroom, which was opened in 1997, was a huge success and immediately put Ade Bakare on the International Haute-Couture map, attracting clients from American, France, Italy, Germany, Nigeria and the Jamaican Islands.

At the Mayfair Salon, Ade Bakare's first floral fragrance for ladies called 'Breeze' was launched in 1998 and which now includes a scented cream and scented candle introduced in 2000 for the Millennium.

Over the years the Ade Bakare Couture label has attracted worldwide press, especially in America , Germany , Monaco and Nigeria , where he has received a lot of press and media coverage, especially during the Royal Ascot season.

Plans for the future include opening branches in Europe, North America and Africa .

Ade Bakare was born in Bromsgrove in England . He studied to University level in Lagos , Nigeria at the University of Lagos . He returned to England to study Fashion Design at the Salford University College , Manchester , where he gained a HND in 1990.

Ade Bakare then went on to work for two internationally known Couture designers in London; Victor Edlestein and Christina Stambolian, before setting up his own label in 1991.

The Ade Bakare Couture label is aimed at the sophisticated woman who likes to appear glamorous at all times. The label uses natural silk fabrics such as French dupion, georgette, chiffons,duchess satins, lace and 'Gazar' which Add Bakare has become well-known for. Add Bakare designs capture the true spirit of the feminine form and are designed in a modern way, always giving his loyal clientele something new to look forward to. Ade Bakare continues to design for the label including the Jewellery line, staging fashion shows in England and abroad, lecturing at fashion colleges and seminars, writing on fashion for newspapers and magazines.

Photo Courtesy of Cape Town Fashion Week