At Imose Exhibition, Lifestyle Meets Youth Empowerment

Yinka Olatunbosun

After a successful debut in June, the Imose Exhibition is set to return this December with a bigger and more ambitious edition, promising a richer blend of fashion, beauty, wellness, business and culture.

The two-day exhibition, tagged Imose 1.1, will be held on December 18 and 19 at La Madison Place, Oniru, Lagos. Designed as a luxury fashion and lifestyle trade fair, it is an ecosystem of top designers, emerging brands and creative entrepreneurs in what organisers describe as a vibrant marketplace and community space.

Imose, which means “beautiful” in the Edo language, was created as a platform to uplift young people, particularly women and youths with creative talents. The exhibition is an extension of the long-standing humanitarian work of the Sewa Foundation, through which its founder and convener, Mrs. Angela Jide-Jones, has supported widows for over two decades.

At a media briefing held at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Jide-Jones explained that her journey with widows revealed a deeper challenge. While supporting mothers, she realised that their children also needed opportunities, especially as many young people graduate from school without jobs.

“We started training the youths, brought in artisans and gave them seed capital to start businesses. But we soon realised that many of them were extremely talented and skilled, yet lacked a platform to be seen,” she said. “That was how the idea of Imose was born.”

For her, Imose evolved from charity gestures into a full-scale empowerment platform that supports new businesses with training, mentorship, visibility and access to opportunities, including grants.

She also revealed that the decision to hold a second edition in December was intentional. “Part of the vision of Imose is not to be a one-off event in a year. Now we are doing two editions, June and December,” she said.

Jide-Jones noted that December was chosen to align with Nigeria’s festive season, often referred to as “Detty December,” when Nigerians in the diaspora return home from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other parts of the world.

“Everybody meets in Nigeria in December. We decided to do it at this time so our vendors can get more clients,” she explained. “People will buy during the exhibition and even after January, February, March. They will ship clothes abroad or ask family members to pick up items from Nigeria.”

Although hosting the event in December comes at a higher cost due to increased venue charges, she said the goal was to give exhibitors the best chance to sell, grow their businesses and expand their footprint.

This December edition will feature an expanded marketplace of fashion, beauty, wellness, art and handmade brands, alongside masterclasses and conversations aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with practical business skills. Visitors can also expect a curated cultural and fashion experience designed to celebrate creativity and enterprise.

Jide-Jones revealed that the maiden edition held in June 2025 attracted over 800 attendees and 70 emerging businesses across beauty, fashion, wellness, handmade products and lifestyle brands.

“Beyond the numbers, what touched us most were the stories,” she said. “Young entrepreneurs who made their first major sales, brands that secured new partnerships, women who rediscovered their confidence. That was when we realised that Imose was more than an event. It was becoming a movement.”

Building on that success, Imose 1.1 will expand to 100 vendors, strengthen partnerships and host more empowerment sessions, while staying true to its mission of supporting young people and women in Nigeria.

“At the heart of Imose is a simple conviction,” she added. “That beauty is more than appearance, wellness is more than routine, fashion is more than fabric, and enterprise, when supported, becomes a pathway to dignity, confidence and economic transformation.”

Also speaking at the briefing, renowned Nigerian fashion designer, Mrs. Ejiro Amos-Tafiri, praised the initiative, describing it as a much-needed platform for women and young business owners.

“Having a platform that is dedicated to uplifting beginners in the fashion, beauty and wellness industry is very laudable,” she said. “She first supported my brand at an exhibition, and that relationship grew from there. What Imose represents is very important for the industry.”

One of the exhibitors from the June edition, Mrs. Alaka, founder of Imani Kids, shared her personal experience, describing Imose as a turning point for her business.

“During the exhibition, she went round every store and even sponsored sales,” she recalled. “There were thoughtful gifts, cupcakes, pictures and constant encouragement. After Imose, I became an ambassador because I kept telling everyone about it.”

Alaka disclosed that her Adire clothing line for children was first showcased and sold at Imose. “Since then, we have sold about 900 pieces. Imose made me feel seen again. I started my business in 2017, but Imose stood out for me,” she said, adding that she was also a beneficiary of an Air Peace business class ticket.

With its return this December, organisers promise that Imose will further establish itself as a community where creativity, healing and enterprise meet, and where small businesses are seen, supported and taken seriously.