Here are 5 reasons why you need a personal website
Have you ever seen a myname.com website and thought “oh that’s so cool but it’s not for me?” Well let me shock you, if you want to stand out online whether in the corporate or business world as a slay queen in the 21st century, then you best believe it’s for you. Still in doubt, let me give you 5 reasons why you need to grab your domain name and have a beautiful website designed to suit your goals and personality. 1. Your paper resume is about to go extinct! A recent study by OfficeTeam shows that more than one-third of companies feel that resumes will be replaced by profiles on social networks. What this means is that prospective employers and clients are and will be searching for you online. 2. You get a home for all your online activities It means that even if all social media platforms crash, there’s still something to your name on the web. It also means that there’s something to link to when people mention you on the web. 3. Worldwide exposure Having a personal website allows you to be able to express yourself, your gifts and your thoughts online thereby building thought leadership in your areas of experience and expertise. This makes you more attractive to people seeking to work with you. 4. Make digital sales “I don’t want another source of income,” said NO ONE EVER! Having a personal website makes it easy for you to create and sell virtual products without messing with your job or business. You can host products such as ebooks, online courses, pre-recorded songs and albums, webinars and so much more on your personal website and make passive income from them. 5. Build your personal brand Having a personal website helps you get conscious about building your personal brand. You can retire or resign from a job or business, but you can never resign or retire from being you. So don’t build your career or business and forget to build your personal brand. If you’d like to learn more about building thought leadership and online visibility for your personal or business brand, please click here to get access to my FREE online visibility checklist on my “personal” website ?.
POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR THE JOB MARKET
For any job posted out there, there are several candidates interested in it. Some of these candidates will be as qualified as you are, others are less qualified than you are, while several others are even more so. So how do you stand out from the crowd? With such a myriad of challenges, you need to sell yourself by indicating why the company should consider you than your competitors. Most people feel uncomfortable with the notion of selling themselves, but it is very essential. If you don’t fight for yourself, who will? Here are a few pointers on how to place yourself at the top of the ladder when searching for a job. Set your USP What is that unique thing that you promise to bring to the organization that other candidates don’t have? Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is part of your brand name. As such, you need to be careful when picking what exactly makes you tick and stand out in a pool of competitors. Develop your brand There is no better way to emphasize the need to develop your brand. While you could go all out with witty tweets and posts, you do not have to feel pressured to do this. A few tricks, such as having a career statement/ objective could work. Your statement might be as follows: “A highly motivated and technically competent communication expert with strong interpersonal skills and proven record in writing, and editing seeking to empower individuals and communities through storytelling”. In an effort to build your network, be clear about your goals and what you are searching for. Depending on your background, you can create your career statement to complement your brand. You could use this statement on your CV or on your LinkedIn profile. Create an online presence Ensure that you create an online presence that supports your brand. One good example is LinkedIn – where you not only have an opportunity to sell your skills and talent but also expose yourself to those who are hiring. If you are a writer, photographer, or a person who needs a portfolio create shareable samples and post on your social media. You have the option to create a blog or a website that details your experiences and credentials. Alternatively, you could utilize free-to-use platforms such as LinkedIn’s Medium among others. Get yourself referred With the world becoming interconnected (a global village), more and more people are relying on recommendations to get what they are seeking. Recommendations can come from family, friends, colleagues, classmates, or acquaintances. If you are interested in a particular job within a particular industry, find out among those that you associate with who could recommend you. In an effort to build your network, be clear about your goals and what you are searching for. Attend job fairs, alumni events, or workshops that could expose you to even more people. Be Flexible We all want things to go according to our plan. Unfortunately, this always isn’t the case. Don’t give up though. Accommodate flexibility in your plans to avoid disappointments. Initially, you might not get your desired salary, but instead of rejecting the job offer try negotiating it. If you are sure the value you are bringing to the company can fetch you a good package, then stick to the salary package. As you seek a job either as a graduate or just changing jobs, apply these to convince your employer that you are the right candidate for the job.
Why Your Business Ideas Aren’t Working
By ensuring that your goals are S.M.A.R.T, you set yourself up to experience the thrill of an achievement that will become a motivation for future successes. Did you know that you can give 110% effort and fail miserably, even with a good business idea? I’ve seen it more times than I can count. An eager entrepreneur has a brilliant idea and quickly forges ahead, only to come back disappointed that things did not work out. By the time they come to that realization, they have likely invested a lot of money, energy and time that they will never get back. Entrepreneurs going through this experience usually assume that they are simply not cut out for entrepreneurship. It is at this point that I dig a little deeper into their execution process and I find that the real problem was that the idea or goal was underdeveloped, leading to poor execution. It was a set-up for failure from the start. I then have the task of talking the entrepreneur off the ledge by explaining that there may have been nothing wrong with their effort, resources or intentions. The reason for the apparent failure was likely that the goal was an inherently bad goal. When it comes to execution in business, a good goal is not just noble in its intention, but it also S.M.A.R.T. It is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Ensuring that your goal meets these criteria increases the likelihood of success. It eliminates wasted time and hones in on the best strategy for success. Specific goals break down your general goals into manageable pieces so that they are easier to achieve. A great example of this might be to increase your annual revenue. “Increase revenue in 2019” is a noble general goal. An even better goal is to “increase revenue in 2019 by identifying profit leaks and creating monthly marketing campaigns in order to obtain new clients.” Using that example, it’s easy to see how an entrepreneur can go from casting a wide net and taking a chance on what sticks, to identifying a specific strategy for success. Even that specific goal can be further developed as you think about other factors that will affect the outcome. By adding metrics and changing the goal to “increase revenue by 40% in 2019, by identifying profit leaks and creating monthly marketing campaigns in order to obtain new clients,” the direction and initial action steps are even clearer. This way, there is little room for wasted resources and time. The attainable and realistic factors in the S.M.A.R.T. formula are subjective factors determined by the individual’s readiness to start working on their goals. An entrepreneur who does not have a marketing budget needs to first raise the money or create a budget for marketing before embarking on the goal above. It seems obvious enough, but many entrepreneurs still do not count the cost before they set their foot on the pavement. The last piece of the formula is timeliness. This ensures that the person setting the goal has a sense of urgency and can fend off complacency when working toward their goal. It is easy to overlook this final piece, but it is just as critical as the others because it has two extremes: too much time allotted for the goal, and not enough time. When there is too much time, it is easy to fall into traps of procrastination and complacency. These are traps that force individuals to believe they have more time to do the work than they actually do. They lose their sense of urgency, which opens the door for others to leverage their ideas, or for a competitor to get to a product launch before they do. The other extreme is not to give yourself enough time. By rushing toward the goal, entrepreneurs stand the risk of sabotaging by not properly assessing the risks and all of the factors necessary for success. After all, there’s value for the entrepreneur in trial and error and even failure. However, by ensuring that your goals are S.M.A.R.T., you set yourself up to experience the thrill of achievement that will become a motivation for future successes.
How Black Millennials are Moving to the Organic Lifestyle
Kinky hair, coarse hair tied up in a bun, and natural hair that can be styled into endless patterns to rock those Ankara outfits are not just great, they look fabulous. All over the world black women are reclaiming their roots and redefining what it means to be beautiful. This generation of young black women is demanding a wider variety standard of beauty. We are letting the world know – “we get to be our own beauty standard, not someone else.” We can all remember a time in our lives where our hair had to be dragged and stretched after our hair strands have been deconstructed by relaxers. Now, organic hair is the standard, and this shows that we can decide what’s cool and what’s not. The millennial generation is a unique one, we are not just absent-mindedly taking in everything given to us by the media. We want to make an impact, and we are doing it in many ways, one of those ways is switching over to a more organic lifestyle, and here’s how we do it: The Water Challenge – The Life Challenge In an effort to drink more water, we bring to you the water challenge. Here’s what we do. For a chosen amount of days, (usually a month) we pledge to take just water or to take a stipulated amount each day. We ditch our favorite drinks, soda, release ourselves from the addiction of carbonated drinks and we like, okay, for this time, for just this stipulated amount of time we would take just water. It’s usually great to do pair up with a boss lady like you, what gets to remind you daily, have you drank your glass of water. Before you go buying tons of products and organics, flush out toxins in your system with water and watch that skin glow and pop. What’s fashion if we destroy the earth in the process? Can clothes be fashionable and sustainable? Can clothes save the world, or change the way we do things? Is it possible that a piece of item we wear can be made from materials that are renewable and do not take from our natural resources but give back? There’s a word for that, it’s called Eco-fashion. According to Stepin.org, Eco-fashion is about making clothes that take into account the environment, the health of consumers and the working conditions of people in the fashion industry. Young people are choosing to build businesses that promote ethical fashion and balances the impact of an industry that does not harm the earth. No plastics please, we’d rather save the earth More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. How this is our problem? Plastics take thousands of years to decay, as these plastics particle break down, they are able to get into fishes and wildlife we eventually eat. Direct toxicity from plastics comes from lead, cadmium, and mercury which are overly dangerous to our health. A friend of mine arrived in a Tanzanian Airport and was shocked that she couldn’t get through with her plastic cups, all over the world, the government is tightening the entry of plastics in its borders and businesses are doing the same. Every action no matter how small can save us from the plastic tragedy. Here are a few habits that are fun and chic… We have our fun straw bendable straws We bring our bags from home when shopping, yes we are that cool Organic wraps instead of plastic bags, cool. Choose natural, one product at a time From natural hair care products to natural beauty products, we switching up those alternatives. The African beauty care industry is a billion-dollar industry and black women are beginning to take a fair slice of that pie. Beauty products made by black women for black women are emerging into the markets, they are not just a great way to support a MotherLand mogul in your community, they are better alternatives to the paraben filled products in the market. A beauty blogger, Sike Gbana reviews great products for skin and hair. You’d find a list of beauty entrepreneurs on our blog, which we have gone through the pains of listing out for you. Know what materials your products are made of And if it came from illegal poaching or through the effort of child labor, we don’t want any of that, we have our ears and eyes open and on the lookout for businesses who not only have great products but possess a good ethical standard to back it up. If you’re on the other side, are you thinking of making a switch? How can we support businesses and entrepreneurs who are daring to create a healthy trend? What ways are you switching your glow up? Is there a business in your community you know that is all about living an organic lifestyle? We want to hear from you. Give us a shout out on social media.
How to rock these 5 Corporate Styles effortlessly
At the concluded MET Gala, head swooped and ears buzzed, we saw fashion statement from the future, from Queen mother Serena Williams’ magnificent dress, to Tracy Ellis Ross’ – Mirror in the wall black emblem. We are trying to not mention Cardi’s overflowing regalia and Lupita Nyong’o statement headgear. Nonetheless, Zendaya was the star of the ball or MET rather. She came dressed in an outfit that lit up from a wave of a magic wand. With her very own fairy Godmother or father. Wouldn’t it be great if we all had fairy godmothers that would wave a wand at our swarthy wardrobes and Gbam, we are all glammed up. While we are still waiting for a fairy godmother/Wakanda father, we put together a number of ideas and ways you can switch up. Let’s take a more practical approach to our wardrobe. These makeover and outfit ideas are for that goal-getter who knows she can slay and deliver at the same time and is doing just that, while she might be able to stretch her budget. This boss lady wants to be in the know of fashion trend, she wants to be creative and classic, turning both eyes and heads at the meeting, for her we’ve set up an array of methods to switch that glam up We don’t leave the entrepreneur out, she’s making boss moves, she’s running from an event venue to meeting with her clients. She wants to make sure everything works well for her small business, and she wants to look like she means business to clients. She can’t bust a thousand box on clothes. What ways can she creatively switch up the narrative off her wardrobe from “please-help-this-newbie-entrepreneur” to “here’s -why-you-should-invest-in-my-business entrepreneur”. The Statement Stiletto A stiletto can transform your look from plain to classic. First, it elevates your status, gives you more moral to look people in the eye, and a statement stiletto draws eyes from your heels all the way up to your face. A statement stiletto can be stylish while remaining formal. They usually stand out in just one color. A bright red is an all-time favorite, a neon green will go too. Whatever you choose, make sure to pair them off with soft brown colors and power glasses. Make a statement without saying a word The Formal Ankara What better way to stand out than in an all in one Ankara print pants or skirts. While you rep the Wakanda nation. you bring with you that extra sauce and excitement that is otherwise drab in a suit and tie setting. Note: Ankara prints can get busy so it’s best to pair them off with single color, mainly white or black and minimal accessories. The Stylish Joggers Whoever told you pants can’t be stylish lied to you. There are days when a Motherland Mogul has to be on her feet, moving around to keep things in check, trying to meet up and staying all late to make orders move in the next morning. This is certainly no time to do a catwalk. When you really need that flexibility jump in from one car to another, a jogger’s gat you baby girl. It’s light, free and flexible, allowing you to be comfortable all day long. Paired with a jacket you can quickly make the switch from entrepreneur to the boss lady The Classic Pants Pastel pants come in all shapes and colors. Single-colored pastel pants bearing softer shades like woody brown or pastel pink are great together. Layering a turtle neck tee shirt or a tank top underneath the statement jackets makes your outfit pop. It’s easy, soft and comfortable and you can always switch from feeling classic in a jacket to party style in a tee-shirt styled into a crop top to fit at a party. However you choose to wear it, this outfit works for different occasions. The Multipurpose Jacket A bright colored jacket Is a must for any wardrobe. There’s barely anything you can’t rock with it. A bright colored jacket can be worn on a little black dress, a dinner gown, or even with a corporate dress. You can pair it up with a tee-shirt and you make a unique fashion statement. And if you dare, mix it up with sneakers or all stars. Now you have it, survey your wardrobe to find combinations that work. Here are 3 tips to help you recreate a new wardrobe in a week. Ransack your wardrobe, you would probably find a statement piece you didn’t know what to do with or a jacket you forgot from a long time ago, now is the time to bring out the slayer in you. Pair each outfit by color and accessories them. Next, you’d want to take photos of each outfit you think cuts the mark, scan through your Mirror, Mirror on the wall, and select the dopest of them all. Here are a few online thrift stores you can get clothing from, all of which can be found in Mall of Africa. Zara Boho Pretty Little things Budget shopping Fashionaova All outfits and dresses in this article can be found at StyleAmira’s fashion and lifestyle page. You can also find them on the gram. Till next time, let us slay together.
10 MUST HAVE ITEMS FOR A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL’S CLOSET
In 2016 I moved back to my home country, Sierra Leone. Yes, sis— that tiny country on the coast of West Africa, no one knows much about. Sierra Leone has a population of approximately 7 million people, we have government institutions, a growing and healthy private sector dominated by the mining, agriculture, hospitality, and the FMCG industry— as well as a large NGO presence. With a range of middle-management and administrative job options so close, yet so far out of the reach of Sierra Leoneans. None-the-less I was determined to learn the political, economic and social landscape of the country, work for NGO’s whose mission statements I believe in, and start my own business! The only problem was that, at my big age of 24, I had no young professional wear! I was coming out of a two-year job in a tech start-up where we wore jeans to work every day. I quickly learned that to go on job interviews, or meetings with potential investors and clients for my own start-up, I needed affordable yet good quality business casual items in my closet. Below I will share with you my the top 10 items that saved my interview and client meetings game for two years of freelance consulting and building a start-up. Illustrating each item is the fabulous and unparalleled stylings by Fatouma Haidara, also known on the gram as @the_fashionartist_. 1. The high-waisted paper bag trouser A good quality high-wasted trouser in black or dark/navy blue goes with almost every professional shirt and even casual shirts. This piece changes any outfit from the casual to – “I’m fresh out of an important meeting” look. The tip here is that it cannot be a tight fit or fitted trouser. The slightly loose wear allows you to run around flexible all day from meeting to meeting as most bosses do. 2. The cotton poplin shirt Every woman needs this in every color! Start with the basic office blue and work your way from grey to every color under the sun! Even a basic office blue with different patterns like stripes and polka dots works. You can collect these over time. But if you find a store where they’re on sale, stock up! 3. The flounced/satin/silk blouse There are a million and one materials, cuts, colors, and designs to buy this in. Essentially, what’s great here is that its a stylish yet comfortable shirt that can be worn with many different kinds of bottoms while maintaining a professional/work-based air about your outfit. 4. The black ballet shoe Practical, comfortable and transferable! This is best for work when fully covered (no peep toes— most offices and interview spaces have either a written or non-explicit policy against this anyway). It is best to get this shoe in good quality leather (or good enough quality) so that it lasts long. I had an all-black one from Aldo with an alligator texture and a small gold zipper in the back, and it lasted me 3 years of daily wear! 5. Closed-toe low-heeled pumps Neutral colors like black, beige and nude are a good place to start. This has the same appeal as the black ballet shoe, however, I recommend having at least one or two of these because some offices require them for meetings. I find pumps most essential for networking events and conferences, they add an extra layer to my self-esteem for some reason. 6. The non-fitted high-waisted knee-length (or below) pencil skirt Yes oh, this one is mad specific because I find that if just one part of it is off, it doesn’t hold the professional gaze that I’m going for. Pairing this with any kind of top or a classic round neck jewelry piece is a quick and easy young professional look for your more relaxed days. 7. The blazer You may not work at a bank or in a law firm— but trust me, a blazer always comes in handy one day or another! 8. The Longchamps Pliage This one is a bit of a splurge and a luxury I know! But if you have something similar then go for it! What you truly need here is a black medium to a large sized handbag that is light even before you fill it with your planner, your lunch and your laptop! Carrying bags all day can be heavy, you want something easy on the shoulders. The pliage is also waterproof for those Harmattan/rainy season days. But if you don’t have access to one, then any good leather bag should do. Black is a practical color because it goes with every outfit. 9. The Pleated Skirt I could go on and on, but the skirt speaks for itself. This is my favorite piece for a work presentation, networking events and lazy days when I don’t want to be confined by more fitted clothing. It’s such an elegant piece, without even trying. 10. Your business card You know how they say “you’re never fully dressed without a smile”? Well for a young professional— you’re never fully dressed without your card! Not only does it allow potential employers to easily contact you but it’s a great avenue to use to ask people for their own business card in exchange for yours— so that you can send that follow up email and call later! Haidara is the Malian founder and CEO of the interior design firm Haii Designs and her work can be found on Instagram at – @haiidesigns_interior. In all aspects, Haii Designs, blends the traditional and modern birthing innovative and “never seen before” designs. Along with her clean, modern, and lively spatial designs, I have long been drawn to Haidara’s grown and #BossLady fashions! If you’re looking to purchase your next office ruling inspiration piece and jewellery after this article, explore tribia-by-hd.afrikea.com or @tribia.by.hd on Instagram.
5 fashion tricks to boost your attraction level
It is no longer news that some people are usually attracted to others based on how well they appeal to their minds. The attraction can be physical, emotional, sapiosexual or sexual in nature. But I will like to talk to you about how well you can kit up physically and still attract the right partner. First, let me start by saying that there is no perfect person out there for you. But there are people who fit your ideal description of what you want in a man. MR Right is simply a high-value man who knows what he wants, takes responsibility for his life and is on a journey to building great relationships too. A lot of ladies are attracted to well-fitted men, with broad shoulders, and great fashion sense. If you want this type of man, it is not a bad idea, but you should understand that such men would want a classy attractive woman too. That means you should look as classy as he would look too. If you are not conscious about how you look, you may miss out on important opportunities in other areas of your life. Trust me, some people do not have the patience to know your content, they are merely moved by sight except they have an opportunity of being around you to see what else you can offer. So packaging matters a lot. First impression is good, but it doesn’t have to be the final say but what about making sure your first impression is likable? Let me share with you 5 areas to pay attention to look more attractive and classy to Mr. Right. 1. KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE Should I confess to you? I just found out about my body type last year in 2018. While growing up, someone once told me that I had a male figure and I felt bad about it. And then later, I began to compare my body with others. I wondered why I had broad shoulders and a small waist. Most jackets and tops I wanted never fit me and I wasn’t conscious of the style I could blend so I simply copied the trend and close friend’s style. I found out about body types in a learning class and I was like wow! I didn’t know that I had been buying the wrong dresses. That could be you too. You should not wear a dress because it fits another person, you should be more concerned about how well it will fit you too. Learn about your body type and wear what fits you. Other types of body types are the apple, pear, inverted triangle body types, and so much more. Now that I know, I buy my dresses strategically. So appreciate your body type, wear what fits you and flaunt well with a great style. 2. DO SKIN CARE ROUTINE Gone are the days where skincare used to be expensive. You can actually do some organic regimen by watching them on YOUTUBE. Not all skin care routine can fit your skin type so you may need to talk to a skin expert to know which suit your skin. A clear and bright skin adds more to your beauty plus eating good food, fruits, and plenty of water makes perfect sense to look good. 3. YOUR SMILE AND BODY POSTURE What is the point of having beautiful skin and body if you cannot smile and develop a good posture? A lot of times, men are attracted to your smile and that can be the signal they need to know you are approachable. If you are always keeping a straight face, you may have fewer people socializing with you. So put on some smile and carry yourself well. 4. ACCESSORIES Do you know there is power in using a touch of accessories? It can range from neck pieces, wristwatches, bangles, sunglasses, hats, scarf, statement bag, etc. it is all about adding a touch to your style and making a statement with it. How well do you invest in accessories? 5. MAKE UP There is something about adding a touch to your face. It makes you look more natural. It doesn’t mean you cannot be a team natural but lighten up your face and that may be the difference you need. When you start paying attention to how you look, you will be surprised at the kinds of attention you will get. I know work schedule can be tight and you have no time, but you can use your mobile phone to do the necessary research and update yourself. What will you start doing differently?
The Importance of a ‘Capsule Wardrobe’ and Tips on How to Build One
Do you always find yourself shopping for clothes and shoes that you never wear? Or you have clothes in your wardrobe that you have not worn in over a year? It may be time to declutter your wardrobe. One of the benefits of the minimalistic trend has been the adoption of a capsule wardrobe. The term “Capsule Wardrobe” was coined by a London Boutique owner, Susie Fox, who owned a boutique called “Wardrobe” in the seventies. If you are wondering if a capsule wardrobe is a right decision for you, here are a few reasons to consider: You are looking to revamp your style Your style changes with the different seasons in your life such as school, work, college parties vs. the networking cocktail events and you may, therefore, find that your current outfits do not fit your current season in life. It is important to always evaluate your fashion needs with your current situation for example when it is time to get the classic LBD/LWD in exchange for the shorts that were your party outfits in your college days. As you are maneuvering this new season, keep your purchases to a minimum in order for you to identify which style works for you best. You want to save money you spend on shopping If you are an impulsive shopper and you always find yourself shopping outfits that never seem to fit into your current wardrobe – It may be time to consider scaling down on your wardrobe and your shopping. The best part about scaling down on your wardrobe as an impulsive shopper is that you will control your spending habits and that will help you save on that extra coin. The beauty of a capsule wardrobe is that you will get a clear picture of what your style is and it is, therefore, easier to shop with your style in mind. You want to reduce on the amount of time you spend picking out an outfit Whether you are dressing for work, a date, a cocktail party or any other event, you want to minimize the amount of time that you take to dress. The lesser the pieces in your wardrobe, the lesser the time that you will spend choosing an outfit. The essence of a capsule wardrobe is in adopting the pieces in your current wardrobe that you love to wear and that you feel great in. These pieces are your staples for what would ideally be considered a season (3 months) after which you switch them up as the season changes. If you come from a tropical area, then your wardrobe will change depending on whether the season is rainy or sunny. Tips to building on your wardrobe for each season: Go through your closet and pick the pieces that you frequently wear There are the basic pieces in your wardrobe that you love wearing and feel great in which are the pieces that will be your first choices. These will include; outerwear which will depend on the season, bottoms such as jeans, skirts and shorts, tops and shoes. Create a base for your wardrobe and build on your pieces This will be in the form of the classic white and grey tees, button-down shirts, dark colored pants, classic pencil skirts. The base that you choose mainly depends on your lifestyle and your day-to-day activities. The pieces that you pick to build on your wardrobe will be determined by the base that you choose for your base. When shopping, consider purchasing statement pieces that transcend “fashion” and can be incorporated into many outfits A capsule wardrobe is one that is meant to minimize your clothes into a small collection therefore when shopping ensure that you get classic pieces that transcend style seasons. Your best bet is to switch up on your outerwear and shoes while maintaining the basic pieces.
Annesophie Achera: Bringing African fashion to the forefront of the retail industry
Annesophie Achera is the founder and creative director of AAchera Designs, a chic African fashion brand born in Nairobi, Kenya in 2011. She created the unique clothing line for women to feel bold, vibrant and confident and has since taken her brand across the region to Rwanda, Ghana and across the pond to the US and the UK. Annesophie takes pride in her designs as they show her love for the African print and African culture unabashedly. A fashion force to reckon with, Annesophie has had quite the journey and in this article, she shares her eagerness to do a lot more for the burgeoning fashion industry in Kenya. On how my career in fashion began… A few years back, I would make my own clothes to wear to family functions, and would always get positive responses about the clothes I designed. People always wanted to know where I got this dress or that top and it became so frequent that I started getting a few orders here and there and with the constant push from my family, I decided to start my own line. Being in the company of my cousin Liz Ogumbo, a well-known fashion designer based in South Africa and my mentor also got me very interested in the fashion industry. Having worked with True Love magazine as a stylist also helped me learn my ways around styling people from all walks of life. What inspired my fashion line – AACHERA… I’m very passionate about fashion and style and I personally like dressing for occasions – every day is my runway. That is what inspired me to create a line for both myself and for people out there who love fashion and want to look and feel confident in what they wear. I currently have two fashion lines. One is a luxury line which mainly has stock for occasions – this was inspired by wanting and appreciating the finer things in life. I recently rebranded the line and what inspired that was the need to have local fashion businesses in the retail space, I felt the need to fill that gap and bring African fashion to the forefront of the retail industry. My thoughts on the fashion scene in Africa… I think the fashion scene on the continent is doing quite well. I always say Africa is the new luxury at large as a brand in itself. The industry is really thriving in West and Southern Africa and it is picking up quite fast in East Africa as well. I have done business in Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, and the US and England – so as a designer in Africa, you have quite a big market, especially in the diaspora because they tend to prefer locally made clothes to support their own. The African Development Bank (AFDB) stated that fashion in Africa is sustainable mainly just by the virtue of creating employment opportunities for our own here, especially for a lot of women and creating a positive working environment. How I think the fashion scene in Africa can improve… One challenge I think we face a lot is the challenge of production, and this is something I am constantly working on and gradually overcoming. It is a case of either growing your in-house production team or taking your designs to the factories and that is always a challenge if you are a small business. I wish we could have more people taking in small – scale orders so that the businesses that are just starting out can still get the same quality of clothing. My fashion do’s and don’ts… Don’t – wear clothes that do not fit. They give the impression that you’re either not too confident with yourself and it kind of reflects badly on you as a person. What you wear says a lot about you without you having to say anything at all. Do – have a good base/foundation to your dressing. By this, I mean what you wear inside your clothes should also be as good as what you wear outside. Wearing the right size bra, good clean underwear, provides a positive base for what you will wear on top of all that. Your style should be a reflection of who you are. Lousy foundations = a lousy fit = lousy confidence. Don’t – rush into trends I prefer to make classic pieces that can be worn for a long period of time. Trends tend to die out quick and you end up wasting money and time on pieces that won’t serve you a long time. Buy clothes that you intend to keep forever. Quality over quantity any day. Do – have a signature style. Be known for something. You don’t need to be a fashion designer or a stylist to be known for that particular style. How does one get to know their signature style? One should ask themselves various questions like who are you really? What do you like to do? What do you stand for? My top 3 fashion icons, locally and internationally… Asiyami Gold Elie Saab Michelle Obama What motivates me to create and develop new designs… My motivation comes from different things. I look to different cultures, I try to learn and understand them to appreciate what they offer in terms of creativity. When I travel I take time to engage with different people from different parts of the world and get to learn the history of the place and the people and understand why certain things are done in a certain way. All this inspires my designs in one way or another. Some of my collections stem from a personal story that I’m relaying in my work. AAchera is basically made to incorporate African cultures into the design and telling an African story through our textiles and collections. When it comes to designing, I look a lot to the seasons we experience. I use different colors according to the season and pick small elements fro what is
Chioma Ogbudimkpa: On creating Redbutton and using Green Fashion to meet the SDGs goals
Chioma Ogbudimkpa is a certified project management professional who has served in different capacities and projects across 5 countries and different industries. She has put in over 9 service years in FMCG, Consulting and Real Estate. Chioma is also a sustainability advocate and a Green Champion. She has been actively involved in the ‘Going Green’ Initiative from the YALI Network since 2015. She started her entrepreneurship journey with the launch of her women’s wear label, Redbutton in 2017 to explore her creative side. Following this, Chioma has received a seat at the table of various local and international platforms; she is a ‘She Leads Africa’ (SLA) Accelerator beneficiary of 2017, a 2018 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur and the winner, Creative Business Cup Nigeria 2019. She will be representing Nigeria at the Global Creative Business Cup in Denmark this July. She’s also an alumnus and beneficiary of the Nigeria Creative Enterprise (NICE) program 2019 powered by the British Council. She has a Bachelors in Project Management Technology and a PGD in Strategic Management & Leadership. Chioma loves to cycle and play scrabble at her leisure time. What led you to fashion at the beginning and what led to the switch to sustainable fashion My mum owned a fashion house back in the 90s, that’s where and when I started to sew, sketch and play with fabrics. I found that I was always stitching something (till date..lol), my mum’s tailors were tired of me because nothing they make for me stays the same. I loved to experiment and add my own touch here and there. It was fun and engaging so I continued on this path up until I started working in the corporate space. I made my work clothes and sometimes, people wanted me to make clothes for them when they realized I made the dresses myself. It was extracurricular until 2016 when I decided to start the business properly. I enrolled in Martwayne fashion school while I was still working, just to get a professional grasp of fashion designing and the business of fashion. Following that, I launched Redbutton in 2017. Because I am a Green Champion, it was only natural for me to incorporate sustainability into my fashion brand. I started to research ways I can be green, while still maintaining fundamental design principles. There are several ways I have built in ethical fashion principles in my processes, including using recyclable paper packaging, ensuring minimal waste, ethical production processes and fusing sustainable materials. What are the possible career options here? It’s quite evident that the Africa fashion space is experiencing the highest rave she has ever had, and doesn’t seem like it will decline anytime soon. The demand and interest in the over $50bn industry have been incredibly progressive which also implies that there are tons of career opportunities, even in a sustainable fashion. Some common ones are textile producers (in knitting, weaving, dyeing, etc). Even here in Nigeria, we are yet to scratch the surface in exploring our indigenous woven fabrics from different tribes. We also have fashion designers, illustrators, machinists, thought leaders in ethical fashion (not very popular in Africa but there are) who are consultants, show curators, editors, etc. Where do you see this line of business taking you? Building a strong ethical fashion brand that promotes African craftsmanship and design innovation, and of course, a profitable fashion business that will birth several other ethical fashion advocates and workers is my overarching goal. Our zest for color, patterns and the intricacy in our embroideries are phenomenal and it appears we are not exploring what we have enough. This is what I want to project to Africa and the world by exploring eco-friendly materials and African art. What are the challenges in the fashion business, and how do you manage them? Production is slow and expensive. But I have realized through this journey that the process and result are far more important than the speed. It’s also more expensive to run, because eco-friendly materials are not exactly cheap (more expensive than regular fabrics), meaning that your pieces will not be cheap. But once you can properly project your value and find your target market, you will be just fine You use water hyacinths for some of your products, why water hyacinths? What was the reception like at the UN? It was just an experiment, to be honest, I didn’t expect that it will be this serious o..lol! I was researching on sustainable fabrics, something different from our woven fabrics, I bumped into this social innovation enterprise who also up-cycles waste for furniture and home decor pieces. I found that water hyacinths can be dried and woven into panels like our Aso-oke. I said, ‘I never saw anyone try this out in fashion, is it even possible?” The fact that it wasn’t popular in Africa drew me further into the research. I tested it and realized it could work but the dress will be dry clean only, no machine wash. We are constantly exploring more eco-friendly materials we can fuse into our designs to create statement pieces. Some of the water hyacinth pieces we fused with Adire were showcased at the 4th UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi and received resounding acclaim from assembly members and delegates. We were published in the Kenyan dailies and featured on the UN Environment news updates. Between April and today, we have shipped over 50 pieces to the US and UK, following the contacts made from the UN event. This is a testament to the fact that, even though our designs have the African aesthetic, they are also globally appealing. Got any advice for younger fashion entrepreneurs? Some say the industry is saturated, well maybe in some context. But also remember it is growing incredibly and the demand is looming. There are several ways to stand out. Look around you, look inside of you, talk to people that have the capacity to help you discover new territories. You can tweak your strategy, innovate,