SHADE THOMAS-FAHM

Shade Thomas –Fahm is a Nigerian Designer, she was born in Lagos State, from a polygamous family. She is in her seventies. Chief Shade Thomas as she is fondly called, attended Saint Peter’s Primary School, and Baptist Academy Secondary School both in Lagos. She also attended the New Era College off Tinubu Square, Lagos. However, she got her O’level papers at the London Polytechnic where she studied English and Mathematics. She then went to Barrett Technical College for Fashion/Art; she then proceeded to study Fashion Design at Saint Martin’s College of Technology, London and graduated with a Diploma in 1959. When we talk about great people in the fashion industry in Nigeria, Mrs. Shade Thomas is one of them. Nigeria fashion industry would not be complete without mentioning her name as one of the pioneers of fashion especially African fashion. She set the pace for the Nigerian fashion industry in the 1960s and 70s and she is also recognized as a women’s right activist. As a pioneer in wearing Nigerian fabrics, her campaign for usage of made in Nigeria goods has spanned about 5 decades. In the sixties, after her studies in England, she set up factory for the manufacturing of clothes using Nigerian indigenous fabrics like aso-oke, ankara, okene, akwete etc on Broad Street, Lagos. Shade Thomas-Fahm has displayed her work around the world; she has featured in commonwealth fashion show. She kick-started the Nigerian fashion industry, using traditional African fabrics and inventing many styles. Her design outfit and store known as ‘Shade’s Boutique’, was a place to go for men and women of style in Lagos. Examples of her creations include the boubou, which she adopted from the men’s Agbada, the hassle-free pre-fitted gele. Her twist on the iro and buba led to the zipped wrapper skirt. Her line of fashion forward Ankara jump suits, aso oke dresses, beaded shoes and embroiled culottes proved she was leaps ahead of her time when she stepped onto the scene in the early 1960s. She is also into modeling; she has modeled for Lux beauty soap. Mrs. Shade Thomas-Fahm didn’t just stop at designing clothes, she drafted, cut, sewed, modeled, produced fashion shows and sold etc which lead to her owning the first boutique in Nigeria. Her philosophy of life is to be kind to people respect authorities and mix with elders, juniors and even your mates so as to learn from al sphere of life.