Interview: Owner of New upscale Boutique – Leila Fowler, Lagos, Nigeria; Funke Fowler.
I have often referred to this boutique to various people that have asked as the ‘pet project’ I am working on while I get used to the Nigerian corporate environment.
The truth of the matter is that ‘Leila Fowler’ is an idea that was born since I was a little girl playing with glamorous Barbie dolls and watching the beautiful women in my family go about their daily routines. – Funke Fowler.
FA: Hello Funke, So glad to be chatting with you, how is it going today?
Funke Fowler: Very well thank you.
FA: Please give us a brief introduction about yourself.
FF: My name is Leila Olufunke Fowler. I was named Leila after my paternal grandmother. I have been told that the name Leila is originally of Arabic descent, although now commonly used in the English language to mean ‘oriental beauty’. In Arabic it means ‘night’ or ‘dark beauty’. I am in my mid-twenties and have a BA in Economics from the University of Nottingham and an MBA from AIU.
FA: How did the idea of Leila Fowler manifest, what was your A-Ha! Moment?
FF: That’s not a simple question to answer. I have had the idea to open a boutique for the last 16 years at least. I have always loved fashion and have grown up around very glamorous women. My aunt owned a boutique in Liberia before she passed on and I remember writing in my diary when I was 10 that I was going to grow up and own a boutique just like she did. The A-ha moment I would say, came more for me while I was trying to decide the name of the store. I contemplated between various names and decided on ‘Leila Fowler’ as I wanted the boutique to be very personal and for my clients to feel like they were shopping in my own personal space. Baring in mind also what ‘Leila’ means, what better name than to just call it mine…
FA: Can you virtually walk us through Leila Fowler, What do we see? What should we expect?
FF: I think I will leave the look of the store for clients to find out on their own, but fashion and style wise one should expect to see unique hand selected pieces from various local and international designers. The store also stocks an extensive designer jewelry collection with the highest quality in sterling silver, precious and semi-precious stones and gold filled pieces.
FA: How are the brands picked to be in Leila Fowler, and how exclusive should we expect the brands in the boutique to be? Is it also concentrated on just designers of African descent? It’s a very wide variety?
FF: I work with various international suppliers and go through their current collections and pick out the pieces that I think would work best with the overall look and feel of the store. Not forgetting the various needs that Nigerian women may have style, size and culture wise. And yes, I also carry items created by African designers. I am an overall fashion junkie and do not have a particular preference on designers or the cost of an item. I wanted a very eclectic mix of designs in the boutique to satisfy different styles and price ranges. Which to me is what makes a boutique different from just being an ordinary clothing store, the individuality of the pieces in the store. So it was definitely important for me to carry a wide range of designs. I do not usually stock more than a couple of a particular item which helps to keep the uniqueness most women might be looking for style wise.
FA: What is the price range in the store?
FF: That is a question I do not usually answer, but I will say that there is something in the store that meets most price points.
FA: Who is your favorite Fashion Designer? Should we expect to see them in Leila Fowler?
FF: hmm… that is another hard one to answer. I do not have a favorite designer period and am just a fan of beautiful things.
FA: Any plans of Leila Fowler becoming a department store, with boutiques all over the globe? What city or country should we expect this dose fabulousness next?
FF: I pray that one day ‘Leila Fowler’ would be a chain of exclusive boutiques around Africa, because I believe that there is a great need for that here. But more importantly I want the store to always have the personal hands on feel it has at the moment.
FA: Fabulous! For aspiring boutique owners out there, would you like to give a brief process on how you got to this point? Anything they should be aware of?
FF: This boutique has been a very personal project for me and one that a lot of time and effort has gone into. I think that for everyone that is in the process of opening a new business especially one so personal, they will find as I did, that a lot of hard work, patience and attention to detail is very important. Once all of that is in place, everything with the grace of God will fall into place.
FA: Well, Funke, we have no doubt you are a pioneer when it comes to blessing the City of Lagos with a fresh and Luxurious experience when it comes to boutiques, we wish you the best, any gifts you want to leave our readers?.. like discounts?!>.. 
.. HAHA! Take care!
FF: Thank you very much for wanting to talk about the store and we look forward to helping your readers find that special item. Discounts? Hmm… that’s something we just might be able to arrange.
See pictures of the opening of Leila Fowler in the events section on FashionAfrica.com
- Wadami.
Tags: Interview
April 10th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
She is soo prettyy!!!! The idea of the store is awesome!!! Its somewhere I would love to shop!! So girly!!! Love it!!!
April 10th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
that photo is gorgeous. love it!!! Nice to see everyone achieveing their goals!!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Great interview Wadami!!
Very fabulous indeed. Its great to see that standards are being raised in Nigeria. All the best to Funke!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Nice interview, great to see. I’ve only known Nigerian men .. who had no interest in fashion *-(
It is nice to see what the ladies are accomplishing.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Leila Fowler is very chic. A combination of class and taste. She is doing Nigeria proud in the modern boutique scene, i wish her well.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Great interview Wadami!!! Your questions and the answers really added a whole layer of context to Leila Fowler’s birth. You know Ms. Fowler is business-minded by her response to the question about the prices of the items…a cheeky, but very tactful response. Hopefully she can stock some up-and-coming Nigerian designers on this side of the pond so as to help spread their names.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 am
Fabulous! What a great interview.
Such an inspiration. I’m so pleased for her. This is exactly what Nigeria and Africa as a whole needs to take us to the next level.
xx
July 13th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
hi leila this is noxy originally from south africa
but i now leave in florida u.s.a and i would
like to encourage you more on the beautiful work
of putting african fashion on a global map and
i wish there could be more strong,confident african
woman like you. and i could tell by the answers you gave
out in the interview that you re very humble.
keep up the good work and god bless u.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Leila Fowler, Lagos is a Boutique that we have always seen as one of d best in Nigeria.I know it took Funke so much time to get the idea of the shop. Big Ups to Leila Fowler, Lagos, Nigeria
September 29th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Please I need the contact for Leila Fowler Boutique.
I own a Premium Jeans and Parfums Line here in Nort America.
Thanks,
-K.Quartey
December 9th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Hello,
my name is Nicolas and I’m an independent fashion designer (my specialty
is evening gowns) from NYC. Right now I’m doing personal customers by special order and wholesale. I would love for you to view my collection online @
http://www.nmsandy.com.
Also, I am trying to reach out to Celebrity Stylists & Photographers so
please feel free to forward this message to any interested party. If any
one is interested in using a piece from my collection for a photo shoot
they can contact me directly.
Here is my contact information.
Jennifer Jane
501 7th Avenue suite 206
New York, NY 10018
Tel 212 997 7745
Jennifer@janeny.yahhoo.com
Nicolas Martinez
212-781-8305
646-671-4230
Nicolas@nmsandy.com
http://www.nmsandy.com
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.
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December 29th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
hello
am 20yea
old aguy that love fashion
am a student of ikeja highschool
am in ss1
February 6th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Congrats on opening your boutique. We are following in your footsteps. Also visit us at Adeniran Ogunsanya, Lagos.
February 11th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Hi Funke, thanks for been resonable. I am a Nigerian writing from Zurich Switzerland a business man and a part time musician. Last time I was in Nigeria I found out that a lot of woman are not smart enough to make your kind of bold move. Keep it up, you are in the right direction. I will also like to have your contact to discuss about your collections and how to promote them in Switzerland. bless
contact 0041765611328
February 19th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
i am a nigerain currently based in london. i admire your work and i will be available if u need me to model ur collections . i am male , 6ft 3, althletic built .
i also have crazy ideas of clothing styles for men and women , wud hope to put my inspirations to the test .
always
peter.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
i jus want to express anoda concern , u shud exploit the diversity of beads . using dem in designs believe me . tha is the center of desings in africa .
December 8th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Hi Leila,
Originally half Nigerian, I am a young designer, who has just launched my collection of colourful African inspired garments in London. If this is sth you would consider stocking in your boutique, do let me know.
Thanks
Hazel
March 17th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Great interview…
i so love shopping at Leila Fowler..exquisite taste and a breathtaking deco…I do feel so at ease there,so relaxed.. and the personnel is so welcome and polite!