Tylr: I see you have taking the brand to a new level; I have to say I’m pretty impressed. Would you say your brand has gained more awareness in recent times? 

Timi: Thank You. Well,yea more people are becoming aware of the brand by the minute.

 It is safe to say that you make urban wear, should we expect jeans from you in the future? (I always wanted to wear denim from a Nigerian label)

With thr3e.ten expect any & everything! Jeans is definitely in the near future.plans for a variety of jeans products are already in the works..

This is totally random, I like to observe fads and trends, and I do it unconsciously, what is your take on the ankara movement that is sweeping the country and maybe the universe sef?

Oh i think it’s awesome that a lot of designers & labels are starting to appreciate the indigenous fabric. It is great and is a reflection of the growth and global appreciation of African fabrics and fashion

 I think your brand is properly positioned to provide every day wear for a substantial amount of Nigerians, where do you see your outfit in the next 5 yrs.?

At thr3e•ten we strive to attain and maintain international standards both in our designs and the quality of our products so it is our hope that in 5yrs the brand would have achieved positive recognition by the best in the business globally and every lover of good fashion would have thr3eten pieces in their wardrobe. Already the brand is getting some international recognition, thr3e•ten was one of the brands featured in the 2012 london fashion week fashions finest in mayfair, london. We are getting there.

My personal favorite item is your Polo, what or who inspired it?

The thr3e•ten polos were inspired by a need. We identified the need of a lot of fashion enthusiasts to be able to look exquisitely simple, you know, dress casual yet fit into semi-formal settings, dress simple yet expensive & trendy, be unique & stand out all at the same time. That’s what we strive to achieve with our polos, and thankfully consumer reviews indicate that we are satisfying this need very well. We have extended this approach to all our other products (tee shirts, sweaters, jumpers, jackets…)

How much do they cost? (Both the male and female ones)

The polos? Prices range from 8k – 15k depending on design, collection and release date.

 How must I wear them to come off as nonchalant and classy at the same time? (lol, it’s how I like to look, or hope to look at least)

That’s the general idea with all our products! Lol! To make you look effortlessly good! Well you can put them on with skinnys (jeans & pants) with a pair of flats or brogues, on shorts or even with a blazer for semi-formal occasions!

Who do I have to call to buy one?

Simply visit our online store www.thr3e-ten.com

Unto other things, who do you currently look up to in the industry?

I’m a great fan of boateng ozwald! Like mad!!! Then i admire ralph Lauren, great Gucci groupie, David wej (my mentor).

 I would like to also know some of the challenges you have faced as a young designer

The typical challenge I assume every designer starting out gets, getting the public to believe in a “local” brand from inception, as well as trying to maintain high quality standards with local materials. Thankfully the ban on textile has been modified and so fabrics are now more readily available. Unfortunately, for certain products we still have to produce exclusively in the uk due to the poor quality of some of the materials available locally.

I understand thr3e.ten is also in the UK. Tell us a little about that

Yes, THR3E•TEN UK started a few months after operations commenced in Nigeria. It is headed by one of the partners ade Tanimomo.

 Finally, the question I Plan to ask every designer on here, any moves on opening a store soon?

Definitely!  Plans for stores & outlets in Nigeria, uk,ghana, sa, usa and italy are in the works already!  But ssshhhh…don’t tell anyone. *wink*