Akpevweoghene Faith Usifo is a seasoned Lagos based fashion designer, entrepreneur, Creative Director and founder of Styllent Designs which specialises in designing bespoke dresses for children. In this interview with SEYI TAIWO-OGUNTUASE, she speaks about her fashion brand, among other salient fashion issues. Excerpts:
What led you to fashion designing and how did you start?
I am a very creative person and a perfectionist to a fault, and I knew I would not easily fit into any other world so owning my own business was the best fit for me.
I have always believed in creativity, using my hands to make things.
My Dad is a fixer, so I learnt the art of fixing things from him.
I got interested in fashion immediately after my university, I started out in my NYSC days by making hand knitted bags with rubber ropes, and then in 2014, I moved on to making hats and fascinators.
I enrolled for the Lagos State skill acquisition programme where I was awarded in the craft of hat making and design.
In that same year, I registered at Arakulture, a training institute to learn the art of dress making. I have been designing dresses since then.
I officially registered my business in 2019 where I now focus on Children.
How has it been since you started?
It has been a wonderful experience, at the beginning people felt why ‘children’ and I told them it’s my passion, many could not understand why anyone would want to focus only on Children’s wear, but I knew there was a market and I just had to remain in it.
What are some of the challenges you experience in the industry?
The major challenge is acceptability. You know we are a special breed as a people, so we need some level of conviction to really buy into something.
So, at the early-stage people find it hard that one could have a fashion brand dedicated to children.
Also, fabrics also are limited, our Ankara are good but finding the right mix to give it that children touch could be tasking as some of the mix are not readily available.
How do you source for quality materials?
We source our fabrics from the local market, however, because of the peculiar nature of designs we do, we sometimes have to order our appliques and other accessories from overseas.
How have you been able to leverage the online space?
We have been able to establish some presence on facebook and instagram, growing our customer base and spreading the good work we do.
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It’s a growing business and we will continue to focus on reach and eventually create our website for a wider reach.
What does it take to start this business and what advice will you give to anyone who wants to go into this business?
Patience, dedication, and passion. If there is no passion, there may be no will power to keep you going.
Again, to start any business, one has to go through the process of understanding the art.
Most times it’s not always about the product but the process.
Once you can master the process, you can withstand any challenges. For us we knew what we wanted, we got the right equipment and focused on what we wanted to achieve as we grew into the business.
What do you think the government should do to support female entrepreneurs in the country?
Funding is one of the greatest challenge entrepreneurs have, the government can provide funding as grants and long-term loans to support businesses and for those who wants to start from the basis without any personal money of their own, government can copy the Igbo trading model of settlement and apply same, allowing entrepreneurs learn, do internship and get settled at the end of the process.
What important lesson have you learnt in the fashion industry?
The most important lesson I have learnt is to never compromise your worth as a fashion designer.
Your business should do the talking, give enough time, and always be on time. Customers will pay for your time if you can deliver on your promise.
What type of fabric do you enjoy working with the most and why?
As a children’s wear designer, Tulle is one of the fabrics I enjoy working with because of the beauty it adds to designs.
Tulle are an integral part of children’s wear collection so understanding the type, texture and look of it would go a long way. I love using them because of the glamour it gives.
How do you stay up to date with the latest fashion trends and incorporate them into your designs?
Staying relevant and up to date is work and dedication.
I am currently studying Fashion Business and Management in the United Kingdom.
I understand other areas of the business in relation to fashion buying, forecasting and trends.
I also follow the LSN and WGSN: a trend forecasting company that helps you get ahead in the right trends and future market reports on fashion.
