Omatu Fulani is no doubt one of the newest dames of
enterprise on the bloc. Quite attractive and gifted, the beautiful multi
talented fashion designer and singer who's waiting to explode is
half Nigerian and half
Austrian by birth.
In an exclusive interview with National Enquirer's Teiko
Sannor, Omatu told us her story of life and entrepreneurial voyage, ''I got
self-employed shortly after my stint at the Modeschule Hetzendorf school of
fashion in Vienna and then jumped right into the cold water!'' As a rookie, she
continued, ''I left Vienna and went
straight to Hollywood and Las Vegas where I had my biggest break by
getting world class celebrities like R. Kelly, Michelle Williams, Kim Porter
and Agbani Darego to wear my creations,'' she reminisced. Another of my biggest
break was when I released my first Extended Play-EP titled,
"Melancholody" in Los Angeles last year. I made a lot of noise there,
it was great! My face was all over the place on the red carpet and in VIP
exclusive parties,'' her exact
words.
To Omatu who's got a very good eye for colours and shapes,
and can visualize a garment before ever putting any idea on paper, being able
to style international 'A-list' celebrities, showing her collections on
international platforms like New York and Paris fashion week, selling to stores
worldwide and building a name internationally, is what she calls her success
story. "As a Fashion designer and singer, I've gained international
experience and recognition. When times are good and your designs are wearable,
you can make a lot of money!" *smiles* "And as a singer, my songs are
currently being played on radio in Vienna, London, Lagos and the States. The
sky is the limit! I have a lot of plans,
when they're ripe, sure you'll be the very first to know." *she smiles
again*
The name “Omatu” is of Nigerian-Igbo origin, the iconic
fashion designer told us, when she was asked what inspired her brand-name.
"Fulani sounds very Italian if you pronounce it the European way, so
people like to compare it to Cavalli,
Armani, Gucci and so on. I know the name of my clothing line is namesake with
the Fulani tribe in Nigeria. I love the fact that the Fulanis are one of the
most beautiful tribes in the world, that fits perfectly into my creative
concept and as for my music, I do soul
and RnB, followed by Hip Hop, Trap and Afrobeat. Then I also love disco and
classic music, especially if it's a piano piece. I've got an album and two
singles, of which one of them is titled, "YOU," and that was my most
sold single, and the single that actually brought me to limelight. My latest single is titled, "The Dream."
I used to be my own manager, but I'll
soon announce my new manager.”
The Austrian based, stylish, modernist, creative, and
elegant fashion designer and singer said
she had always wanted to design as a kid when she used to dress her dolls and
teddy bears, and had always wanted to sing and dance as well, so she joined the
musical school, Vienna conservatorium. "I went to a designer school
and thanks to my mum who is a free
spirit, I was able to go to musical school in parallel. When I first came
across R. Kelly's music, his voice touched me, I had goosebumps and this was
when I knew I wanted to do music. I was
so shy at first that it took me years to actually come out with my own
sound. I want my music to be heard, I'm
not making music for the money, I sing
from my mind, body and soul, and I want my listeners to feel the same
way I feel. I just want to put my music out there without any
expectations." According to the fast rising singer, Omatu, ''a singer is
someone who is able to give his/her listeners goosebumps when sharing their music.'' And a Fashion designer?
''Someone who has the ability to bring his/her creations not only to paper, but
actually to life and get people to wear
them on a
daily basis.'’
"My client, I would say, is a self confident woman
who's not afraid to show her feminine side at all times, a classy woman who
likes to try new things and styles when it comes to fashion. Age range, 25-45.
Music inspires me, most especially because I am an artiste as well. I am a huge
fan of Wale, so I once heard about a rap competition he was having on Instagram and I jumped on it.
God knows I'm NOT a rapper but I'm a songwriter, so I was really proud when he
picked me as one of the seven finalists. That gave me such a boost and also the
confirmation that I got it, man! Traveling all over the world gets me a lot of
inspiration too, seeing different cultures and what their fashion is like.”
Speaking on her first ever entrepreneurial shot, "Oh
no, it's tough! No one came to my first show. It was literally my PR and
I!" She confessed. "You've got to have a thick skin when you're in
show business," she said.
Omatu's strength and power, according to her, is in her
root, ''My company is in Vienna as well as the production and cutting company I
am working with, so a typical day in Vienna is hectic because there is always
something to do and people want to meet you in person. Great times too though
because I'm constantly on the go to achieve new things, especially when I'm
away from home. Mostly, I am out of town so it's more relaxed because all I do
then is network and get my Fulani duties done via email which is less
stressful. I regret that I haven't had a mentor, things would have been much
more easier."
Talking about the bad influence of buzz, smokes, drugs and
meeting men in the entertainment industry, Omatu shared with us... "Oh
yeah, the industry is like that but God gave us the free will, so it's up to you how strong or
weak you are, to resist certain
things. I think we all know what's good and bad so it's in the hands of the
individual which route you want to go. I've met all kinds of people in this
career. I've met musicians, great musicians, I was star struck! I met strangers
with a lot of influence in the industry who helped me without asking me to give
them anything in return, and I'm very thankful for that! But the industry can
eat you up and also manipulate you quickly. So yeah, I've come across all types
of people, good and bad, but haven't we all?”
No doubt, this very daring personality could also have a
place in the movie industry if she puts her time and energy into it. "I
can see myself as an actress, but I won't have time to achieve that. But hey,
if I got a movie request, I would jump on it!
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