Get Guardian on GoogleFrom discovering standout pieces on the show floor to connecting vendors with shoppers beyond the venue, Kanyinsola Olanrewaju is rethinking how people experience Nigerian fashion fairs.
What if you could shop a fashion fair without actually being there?
Imagine discovering a beautifully tailored outfit at a designer’s stall, seeing the details up close and deciding whether it belongs in your wardrobe — all from your home in London, Toronto, Houston or Lagos.
That is the idea behind Curated Finds, the virtual fashion fair shopping community created by Kanyinsola Olanrewaju, popularly known as The Perfectionista.
A personal stylist, style curator and fashion fair curator, she is pioneering a new way to experience Nigerian fashion fairs through virtual access, style-led discoveries and increased visibility for vendors.
Fashion Fair Shopping, Virtually
Not everyone can attend a fashion fair. Some shoppers live abroad, while others have busy schedules that keep them away from the venue.
Through Curated Finds, The Perfectionista and her team attend fashion fairs, discover standout pieces and share their finds with members in real time. Members can express interest in items they wish to purchase, bringing the excitement of the fashion fair to shoppers wherever they are.
For Nigerians in the diaspora, it offers a way to discover and shop Nigerian fashion without waiting for their next trip home.
As Kanyinsola explains, “I wanted people to shop fashion fairs from anywhere in the world, even when they can’t be there physically.”
A Stylist’s Eye for Discovery
Anyone can walk through a fashion fair and take pictures. The difference lies in knowing what is worth a closer look.
With her background in personal styling and image consulting, The Perfectionista brings a trained eye to the process, identifying pieces that stand out for their cut, colour, craftsmanship, versatility and styling potential.
Rather than overwhelming shoppers with everything on display, she narrows the options to discoveries worth considering, helping members find brands and pieces they might otherwise have missed.
“I don’t just look at what’s available; I look for what’s worth discovering. That’s where my trained eye as a stylist comes in,” she says.
It is shopping through the lens of a stylist, with an appreciation for both personal style and the thrill of finding something special.
Expanding Vendor Visibility
The opportunity extends beyond shoppers. For vendors, being part of a fashion fair is about more than setting up a stall; it is about getting their products seen by the right people.
By sharing standout finds with her community, The Perfectionista creates another route for vendors to reach potential customers who may never visit their stalls in person.
Her fashion brand spotlight offering extends this visibility further, showcasing vendors and their products to an audience interested in discovering Nigerian fashion.
One Model, Three Impacts
These three pillars work together: The Perfectionista is reimagining fashion fairs beyond physical venues, using virtual access to connect shoppers to the fair, curation to help them find standout pieces, and vendor features to connect brands with potential customers.
Her vision is simple: a more connected, accessible and sustainable fashion ecosystem, where discovery and commerce extend beyond the fair itself.
Looking ahead, Kanyinsola sees an opportunity to make Nigerian fashion fairs accessible to a much wider audience.
“I see a future where fashion fairs extend beyond their physical venues, connecting more shoppers to Nigerian brands through virtual shopping,” she says.
