CARVING HIS NAME IN AFRICAN FASHION: PUBLISHER FAMILUSI AKIN BABAJIDE

Name: Familusi Akin Babajide

Age: 33 (almost!)

Born and bred in: Lagos Island/Lagos, Nigeria

Role at FAB/title: Publisher

FAB part of your job: Watching a dream grow!

Least liked but still FAB part of your job: I love it all: The pains, the joys, the travails, the grind... All makes it FAB!

Aspirations/goals: To go down in history as one who spearheaded a movement to take African Fashion and Lifestyle to the world. To continually birth fashion brands for every generation from hence. To effectively utilise 360 degree media in painting Africa as truly beautiful and rid the continent of the negative perceptions its been donned in. To ensure that Africans themselves realise their worth as a people, till most are absolutely confident in their abilities. These may look pretty vague but those who know me personally know what i am about.

Inspirations: The word of God as found in the Bible.

Hero/Heroine: Jesus Christ!

FAB motto/saying: "I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me"

Best piece of advice you can offer: Life is a test, a trust, a temporary assignment, ensure you give it your best and die empty delivering all you were entrusted with. Leave your mark!

Your kind of music: All types of good music...I do not discriminate!

Your kind of book: Inspirational books generally...Biographies of great men and women! I also love any literature on fashion!

Dream destination: The Caribbean

Your style in a nutshell: Clean, crisp, sharp and detailed!

Kryptonite: A new project! A bigger challenge than the last!

Pet Peeve: People who give excuses for failure, I tend to really despise!

Your USP: I am a go-getter. My drive is unequalled. I hate to sit around for something to happen, I always strive to make it happen!

Log on to my blog if you like: to be inspired!

Familusi Akin Babajide, aka FAB, is the man behind the vision that is FAB. Former record label executive, award winning designer, stylist, image consultant and now publisher, there is no end to Fab’s talents.

Anything Fab gets his hand on from his design label Exclamations Couture founded in 2001 to the subsidiaries from Ties Etcetera, clothing and accessories retail label, and The Looks Company, the styling and image consulting brand, all grouped under the umbrella of FAB Group, including FAB Magazine stem from Fab’s desire to revolutionise African fashion industry and make it as lucrative and self-sufficient as the music industry Fab is all too familiar with as one of the founding members of what has come to me known as afro-hiphop whilst managing Trybesmen who set out to do for Nigerian music over a decade ago what Fab has set out to do for Nigerian fashion in the shape of FAB Group.

A man who has devoted the best part of the last decade to fashion and style, despite a background in sciences from the University of Lagos, Fab can still be found attending to his Exclamation clients hands on, to achieve the best look they can get. He prides himself on bringing his clientele Saville Row quality suits straight from Nigeria with specific attention to what he calls 3Fs – fabric, fit and finish.

While fiercely proud of FAB Magazine, when he is not working with the team to produce the magazine, Fab is busy thinking of new ways to dominate the world of African fashion.