Toast Academy alumni create amazing designs for Lagos Leather Fair 5

Toast Academy alumni create amazing designs for Lagos Leather Fair 5

Semilore Ogunsanya and Mercy Ogedengbe
Mercy Ogedengbe and Semilore Ogunsanya were recipients of the Toast Academy Scholarship Program of 2021. Upon completion of their Graphic Design course, they were placed as interns in Nigeria’s leading luxury leather brand, Femi Handbags.
6 months later, they were an essential part of the core team that created amazing designs for the Lagos Leather Fair 5.
Here’s what they had to say about their experience transitioning from learning at Toast Academy to being part of a huge real-life project like LLF5.

Mercy Ogedengbe

How did you hear about Toast Academy?

I saw a window of opportunity and I took it. It was a scholarship program for design at Toast Academy and I was selected to participate.

How was your experience at Toast Academy?

It was very insightful, given the fact that I was just joining the design space at the time. At first, it was a bit overwhelming because it was something I had never done before but our tutor; Jide Awulonu, made it easy for me. I not only learned the principles of design and what makes a good design, but I also learned how to respond to a client’s needs amongst other things.

Tell us about your experience designing for LLF5?

I would say it has been quite a journey. After the session at Toast Academy, I knew I was walking into something huge in terms of design. It has been amazing and I have been able to apply what I  learned at Toast Academy to real life. Working on the LLF5 project has been an experience for me, beyond words could describe.

How has the journey been from learning at Toast Academy to spearheading a major creative project?

The journey has been amazing and I felt like a child thrown into a river; you know a child thrown into a river and expected to swim. It was a bit tough because I did not expect to go from learning in class to designing almost immediately. It is surreal. But I am thankful for the process and the opportunity. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to have learned from the amazing designer – Jide Awulonu. 

I am hopeful for the future and I hope to spearhead more creative projects.

Check out some of their designs

Semilore Ogunsanya

How did you hear about Toast Academy?

Instagram! One of my friends showed me the page and the graphics on the page drew me in. They were outstanding and really good. I could not believe there was a place in Ibadan that could do this. I had always wanted to further my knowledge in graphic design so I decided Toast Academy was a place I needed to be. 

How was your experience at Toast Academy?

It was very interesting and nice. I would have preferred physical classes but it was understandable with the situation of the world at the time. We had to take the classes online due to COVID-19 but then, for someone like me who does not even like virtual classes, it was pretty good. Our tutor; Jide Awulonu, is really good. He answered every question, explained every term and went back when past lessons were not well understood. It was an interesting learning experience. 

Tell us about your experience designing for LLF5?

Branding LLF5 has been hectic. Every day involved work. But then, it’s been fun too. You know, interesting, demanding and totally worth it.

How has the journey been from learning at Toast Academy to spearheading a major creative project?

The journey from Toast Academy has been mind-blowing. I have been in design for six months and then I get the responsibility to brand an event that draws thousands of people. It is like the world is looking at me and expectations are high for what I will be able to come up with, you know with everything I have learned so far. My team and I continually encouraged ourselves and looked forward to delivering good content. 

This might not be perfect but I am proud of what we were able to achieve and I am grateful for the opportunity. It is a surreal experience. I look forward to more branding opportunities in the future.

The fact that we at Toast Creative Studios were hired to handle all the designs for LLF Digital barely 2 years ago, and now, our graduates are capable of handling a project of this scale is a beautiful thing to witness. This is a full-circle moment for us and we are looking forward to many more. 😊

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