NDIDI Obioha exudes style and panache. She has carved a niche for herself as an event consultant. Her Enthyst Klinic also speaks volume in terms of the glamour of fashion wears and accessories. Ndidi is creative and electrifies red carpet events with her looks. The emertyst purple and lilac painting of her office building defines her deep sense of colours. All these traits combined scream class and elegance. In this chat with Effects, Ndidi speaks about her latest move into Television show. Excerpts
Can you tell us aboutt your upcoming TV show?
This weekend, the much-awaited reality TV shows entitled: The EVENT PROS hosted by Ndidi Obioha and powered by Enthyst Limited will be unveiled. It is an infotainment reality TV show and it promises to be entertaining. The show is filled with drama. It reveals the behind-the-scenes of how events are planned. It showcases the pressure, tension and fun that comes with planning an event up to its final execution. The show also brings to the forefront, the professionalism that goes with planning and executing an event from the attention to details, reviews and all things that makes an event flawless and stylish. These are things Enthyst Event Consulting are known for.
Your clothing line is unique. How do we describe the style?
My clothes are bespoke and define the dress style of the new generation. Probably, I like to see somebody wear the clothes in my collection. They are simply glamorous, decent and they bring out the sexiness of the woman. Nigerian women are getting more uncomfortable with their bodies – they are no longer comfortable with the folds, the baggy eyes, heavy arms (what some people call Christian mothers’ arm); they no longer love those clothes that hide excess flesh. They want to look elegant. So, they wear dresses that make them look graceful. When the woman arrives anywhere, heads will begin to turn in admiration. We bring in new collections every eight weeks.
When a woman walks into a place, what would make you say the person is stylish?
If your carriage hits me and then the way you are totally put together. Style is more than just clothes. There are different things that make up style – from the hair to makeup, accessories and then the clothes. The way you put everything together is what helps me define a woman of style.
Have you ever had any embarrassing moment as an event planner?
Of course yes – particularly when you encounter uncultured people. You do an event when you have agreed with the client about the style of admission. I once had a crazy crowd size. Right from conception, we agreed that we would have placement cards to indicate the sitting arrangement, so that the guests would come with their placement cards. We took our time to number the cards and allocated the guests expected to be at the event to specific tables. So, in coming for the event its not just about bringing the wedding card, it’s the placement card that we put in the wedding card that we expected them to come with. We had a situation that we had a relative
of the bride who decided she didn’t need to come with her placement card – to her it was all about her relationship to the bride. She went on shouting and screaming. But I would say that God has been so fantastic. There has been no event that we did that we didn’t receive a “Thank You” card from the client. The appreciation I get from my client is what matters most to me. It’s not the money. The ‘thank you’ is my greatest satisfaction not the money they pay to me.
So, tell us how it’s been in events consulting?
I have always liked to be different even as an event consultant. Let’s take for example; I’m planning a wedding for a couple. It’s always a total package, because I’m concerned about how you would look as well as the look and feel of the event. I never want any other to look better than my bride or the mother of the bride on the wedding day. In trying to advise them on how best to dress, you’ll definitely need to have a source you are referring them to and that gives birth to the bridal part of it and every other fashion aspect of the business.
From the red carpet clothes to the glam dresses. When I plan birthdays and all that, I’m particular about how my client looks and it doesn’t end at that. I don’t just put together your birthday as we tend to add so much value to what we do. For instance, I direct photo shoots for my clients during their birthdays and I make sure that you look cute. Even after watching the images from the event, people would call me and say, “Ndidi, you are kidding me, this woman is not 60 years but 35 or 40.” It’s because of my commitment and thoroughness. I take my time and I direct each and every photo shoot for whatever event.
Your events often stretch into the night. As a married woman how does your family cope this hectic schedule?
The truth is that am lucky to be married to a man that totally understands me and is very supportive of my business. This gives me total support, and because my husband so understands my kids automatically understand too. You know how we inculcate these things into our children. That has been my greatest asset and luck.
What’s your take about the fashion sense of Nigerian women?
I’m very happy about the fashion trend in Nigeria and that Nigerian women are making very good efforts to look good.
It does take effort to look good and if you know you don’t have a clue, consult somebody that has. I tell people if you have to attend an event, make that effort to look good. By just coming out in just anything, you’re telling the celebrant/host “your event means nothing to me.”
That’s the way it can be interpreted and what I tell people is that it’s pretty rude. Somebody has specified a dress code and colour for the day and the least you could do is to abide by it and gladly Nigerian women are beginning to do that more. They’re beginning to consult stylists. I have a number of them as my clientele and they’re grateful.
They thank me for making them stand out and that for me is satisfaction. I totally enjoy what I do and I’m happy that Nigerian women are making conscious efforts to look good.
Nigerian women are getting more conscious of their bodies and they are no longer comfortable with the folds, baggy eyes, heavy arms (what some people call Christian mothers’ arm); they no longer love those clothes that just hide excess flesh.
They want to look elegant, so they wear dresses that make them look so graceful. When they enter anywhere, they make heads turn.
I am a sucker for the colour purple. I am free spirited but also very self conscious.
What is your typical day like?
I never get to my office before 11am. I am not your regular ‘morning hours’ person. When my kids are on holiday I try to spend the morning hours with them. My day starts from 11am except I have an early morning meeting – in that case I make effort to be there. I work till 9-10 pm. You see, the evening hours are really the best times to come out with the creative aspect of our events. At such hours, everywhere is calm. The moment I enter my office I just bury my head in work.
Do you have time for house chores?
Ahh! I have people who do it but my home never suffers. My home comes first. I make sure my household never suffers at all. It is only when we go on holidays that I have time to cook.