Mai Atafo is a Nigerian bespoke fashion tailor known to be one of the most recognized and sought-after designers in the fashion industry .
Coded Naija Music presents you with 10 awesome things about popular stylist and designer.
Read below;
1 Ohimai Atafo was born in Ile-Ife, Osun State to a big family, with six brothers and two sisters to be exact. He’s originally an indigene of Ora in the southern state of Edo.
2 Mai studied at the University Staff School Benin then the Federal Government College Ido-Ano Ondo State and later on attended the City University UK for his Masters in Information Systems Technology.
3 2010 was the big year Mai quit his job as a brand manager in Guinness Nigeria to grow his fashion line.
4 He had already started his fashion empire years before leaving guinness, dressing the likes of Omowunmi Akinifesi (Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, 2005), Banky W and IK Osakioduwa with designs from Mai Atafo Inspired.
5 He launched his highly acclaimed fashion line, Weddings by Mai in July 2011. Designs have graced the catwalk in different editions of the fashion show, Dream Wedding, featuring popular celebrities as models – Yvonne Nelson, Banky W, Beverly Naya and Joseph Benjamin to name a few.
6 His brand name ‘MAI ATAFO INSPIRED‘ is cleverly coined from his real name Ohimai Atafo – M for Mai, A for Atafo, and I for Inspired.
7 In 2013, he became a mentor on The Fashion Protege, a show set on nurturing Africa’s next fashion pioneers. This cemented Mai’s status as a force to reckon with in the world of African fashion.
8 Mai was a Strategy Director for an Advertising Agency; Firehouse Group as well as Event Compere, Emceeing the return of the Miss Nigeria Pageant in 2010 after a seven years break with Co host, One time Miss World, Agbani Darego. Mai Atafo is a community mentor, he heads the Future Awards Central working committee.
9 He is married to Christine Atafo. The couple are parents to a beautiful little girl.
10 Mai has received numerous awards over the years in recognition of his craftsmanship. They include City People Fashion and Style’s Hottest New Designer (Male), which he won twice, Mode Men Magazine’s Fashion Designer of the Year, Allure’s Most Stylish Man of the Year and LFDW Menswear Designer of the Year.
